Ivy
by orcadarwin
Summary: Harry meets Ivy at the age of six, and they become fast friends. On her 11th birthday she learns that she's a witch and would be expected at Hogwarts for the new school term There's only one problem, Ivy's blind, so accommodations would have to be made for her. A strange thing happens in fourth year and Ivy's life becomes a bit more public.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note : I do not own Harry Potter or anything associated with the books or movies, only the original character of Ivy. **

**Please review, I need some constructive criticism to help me in my writing. **

**Ivy**

Six year old Harry Potter heard a small voice cry out in pain and looked up from his spot in the flower bed in the front yard, where he was planting something his aunt told him to. Scanning the area, he saw a young girl in the middle of the road on her hands and knees, and then he heard the car coming. In the blink of an eye, he reached the girl and pulled her to safety on the sidewalk in front of his aunt and uncle's house. "Are you okay?" he asked.

She nodded through her tears. "I didn't know that I was so close to the curb, and I fell off of it. Thank you." She was staring off blankly in front of her. He looked at her curiously, wondering why she was just staring off like that. Sensing his unasked questions, she spoke, "I'm blind. I forgot to bring my stick with me. I just needed to get outside for a while. Strange things have been going on and it's really scary." She explained.

"Oh." He said, wiping the dirt off of her knees. "I'm Harry, Harry Potter."

"Ivy Mitchell. It's nice to meet you Harry." She said and stuck out her hand. He took it and shook it like he had seen his uncle do with other adults. Feeling silly, he let go.

"What kind of strange things?" he asked.

Taking a deep breath, "Well, apparently when I get angry or upset things start flying around the room or blow up. I don't really know since I can't see anything. I don't do anything on purpose. The caretaker at the orphanage keeps saying that I need to go away and not come back." She said, sadly.

"Those things happen here, too. My uncle tells me that I'm a freak and doing it on purpose. I swear I don't. I don't even know how I'm doing these things." He told her.

Harry jerked his head up as he heard his aunt screech his name from inside the house. "Can you make it back okay?"

"Sure, just point me in the direction of the playground." She said. He helped her stand and turned her to face the direction of the playground.

"Straight ahead." He said, and then ran inside, so that his aunt and uncle wouldn't have any reason to yell at him.

Ivy began a slow walk back the way she had come. By the smell of the orphanage, she knew that she was back. Not that it was a bad smell; it was just different than other houses. She could tell the difference in stores and other buildings that she went in by their smell and sounds. "Where have you been?" a sharp voice yelled at her.

"Just out for a walk." She answered and climbed the five steps to the front door. She heard a snort and then heard the lady move out of the way so that she could go inside. In the days following, Ivy found herself in front of Harry's house more often than not. She would wait for him to come out and then they would talk and she would help him with all the work that his aunt and uncle made him do. They became fast friends and as the years passed got closer as they realized that they could do special things without even thinking about it.

On the day she turned 11, she had a visitor at the orphanage. The caretaker showed him to her room and left, not really interested in what this strange man wanted. "Ah, Ivy. You are quite lovely, as I knew you would be." He said, sitting in the chair opposite her bed.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Oh, yes, sorry, my name is Albus Dumbledore and I'm the Headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I've come to offer you a spot in this year's class." He said, pulling out a letter to hand to her. When she didn't reach out of it, he looked at her with concern. "You did realize that you are a witch, Ivy?"

"No, sir, I had no idea. Is that why I've been able to do things without knowing that I'm doing them?" she told him.

"Well, yes, it is. Read your letter and let me know if you would like to attend." He said, holding the letter out for her again. Still she stared at a spot on the wall, not taking the letter in his hand. "Is something wrong, dear?" he asked.

"Do you realize that I'm blind?" she asked him, folding her hands in her lap.

"That is something I did not know, Ivy. I'm very sorry. We can make accommodations for you at school, I'm certain. I will speak with the other professors once I return there. Would you like to attend school with us and learn about magic?" He said, returning the letter to a pocket in his robe.

"Oh, yes, I would. I have no money for supplies, though." She nodded eagerly.

"Well, now, you don't think that your parents would leave you with nothing, do you?" he smiled.

"My parents? You know my parents?" she asked, inching closer to the edge of the bed.

"Oh, yes, I did know them. Very tragic what happened. Your mother dying in childbirth and your father dying a week later of a broken heart. They loved each other very much." He answered.

"So, that's why I've been in this orphanage. I always wondered what happened to them." She said, quietly.

"In a few weeks, someone will be coming to take you to Diagon Alley and get your school supplies, and then they will take you to the train to come to school on September 1st. I will be looking forward to seeing you then, Ms. Mitchell." He said as he stood to leave.

"Thank you, Headmaster. I hope I don't disappoint you." She said, holding out her hand to him. He grasped it in both hands for a moment and then she heard a loud crack and he was gone.

_'A witch? Me? Wait until I tell Harry.'_ She thought as she groped around the floor for her shoes. She wasn't able to tell Harry, though. He wasn't allowed out of the house for several weeks, and then they just disappeared for some reason. Frowning to herself, she kept to her room. On, August 31st, someone came to get her for the trip to get her school supplies.

"Ivy? I'm Professor McGonagall; I'm here to take you to Diagon Alley to get your things for school. We will be staying there over night and I will then take you to the train station." The woman told her, reaching out to touch her shoulder.

Ivy turned slightly at the touch and nodded. She suddenly felt as if she couldn't breathe, as if something was squeezing all the air out of her lungs. Then it lifted and she smelled all sorts of new scents and heard new sounds around her. "Is this Diagon Alley?" she asked.

"Yes, dear, it is. Now, we will go to Gringotts to withdraw some of your money and then get your things." The professor said, keeping her hand on Ivy's shoulder to lead her in the right direction.

"How did we get here?" Ivy asked her as they walked along.

"We apparated. It's a way for us to travel. You will learn it when you are soon to be 17." The older woman answered. "There are steps now, can you manage?"

"Yes, ma'am. Just tell me when we get to the top." Ivy said quietly, and tentatively placed her foot forward to find the first step.

After several moments, "Okay, dear, we are at the top."

"55 steps from the bottom to the top." Ivy said, mainly to herself. Professor McGonagall held open the door for her to enter and Ivy stepped in and to the side a little. The professor replaced her hand on Ivy's shoulder, guiding her to the counter to present her for identification.

"Miss Ivy Mitchell wishes to make a withdrawal." She said. The goblin behind the counter looked over his spectacles at her.

"And does Miss Mitchell have a key?" he asked.

"Certainly." McGonagall said and withdrew a key from her robe. The goblin examined the key and then gave it back to her.

"Very well. Wait here and someone will take you to your vault." He told them and then disappeared. A few moments later, he reappeared with another goblin and ushered them off to a door on the left.

"Okay, step up here and have a seat, Ivy." The professor told her as they got into the cart for the ride to the vault. Hearing the door of the cart click close, she felt it give a slight jerk and then felt the wind in her face as it sped away down the track towards the vault her parents left for her. The cart slowed to a stop after 10 minutes of hurtling down the track. Professor McGonagall stepped out of the cart and helped Ivy out. The goblin followed and asked for the key. He opened the vault to show piles of gold galleons, silver sickles and bronze knuts. Although Ivy couldn't see what was being done, she heard the coins clink together as the professor began gather some into a bag for her. They got back into the cart for the wild ride back up to the lobby of the bank. Out on the steps, Ivy counted to herself, taking the steps with ease.

At the bottom, she turned to the professor, "May I hold one of each coin, please, professor? One at a time."

"Sure." McGonagall agreed, with a confused look on her face. She handed Ivy a galleon and watched as Ivy ran her fingers over every inch of the surface of the coin. Ivy handed it back and a sickle was placed in her hand. She repeated the process for this coin and the knut. "May I ask why?"

"They each have a different feel, so I can tell them apart when I need to." Ivy answered.

"Oh, well, that makes sense. Let's go get your robes." Professor McGonagall said and they made their way across the street to the robe shop. After being measured and fitted, Ivy purchased 3 sets of robes, some regular clothes and some shoes. They continued their shopping, purchasing books that had been specially made for her in Braille and parchment, ink and potion supplies and then finally a wand. The wand maker, Mr. Olivander, had a time finding a wand for Ivy. He tried every wand on several shelves before finding one that fit her.

After the exhausting hours spent shopping, Professor McGonagall led Ivy to the Leaky Cauldron where she had a couple of rooms for the night. Levitating the trunk filled with Ivy's school things behind them, she led the way up the stairs. Deciding to have dinner brought to their rooms, the professor asked Tom, the innkeeper, to also bring another package up when it arrived. She had heard about these and had spoken with the headmaster about allowing Ivy to have one at school. He readily agreed and allowed her to order one. An hour after dinner, Tom knocked on the door, with a crate that was rattling. Pushing it into the room, he turned to leave. McGonagall closed and locked the door, looking over at Ivy who had sat up in bed, interested in the new noises in the room.

"I have something for you, Ivy. Someone to help you get around the school; he's been trained and is already acquainted with the school to know where everything is." The professor explained and then opened the crate. Ivy heard a low whine and then the clicking of nails on the bare floor. She felt the bed give to the weight of something sitting down beside her. Reaching out a hand, she touched a cold, wet nose. Venturing on, she felt fur and then using her other hand, she felt further down on the bed and found a wagging tail.

"A dog?" Ivy asked quietly, not wanting to upset the animal.

"Not just any dog, Ivy; a seeing-eye dog. They are specially trained to help blind people get around. He will basically be your eyes when you need to get somewhere. He will protect you and keep you from bumping in to walls and falling down stairs. The muggles use them, and I thought maybe we could train one in a magical place. The headmaster agreed and here you are. His name is Timber." the professor told her.

"Well, thank you." Ivy said with a shy smile. She turned to Timber and placed a hand on his head, "Hello, Timber. I'm Ivy. It's good to meet you." He nuzzled her other hand in reply. "I believe he likes me," she said, laughing.

"Yes, it looks that way, dear. You best get some sleep now. We will be travelling a bit tomorrow to the train station." McGonagall said and made her way to her adjoining room. Ivy slept well, with Timber on the bed beside her. Listening to his even panting lulled her to sleep. She still regretted not getting to tell Harry that she was a witch. Somehow she knew she would be seeing him soon, though.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The next morning, Ivy was awakened by Timber licking her face. She smiled and rubbed his head before getting up. Standing, she kept a hand on the bed and made her way to the end. The night before, she had counted the steps to the bathroom. As she took her first step, she felt Timber slide in beside her. Putting a hand down, she found a handle, curiously she took it in her hand and he helped her find her way to the bathroom without bumping into any furniture. If she got too close to something he would either put gentle pressure on her leg nearest him to get her to move to her left, or pull slightly to get her to move to the right. _'I might get the hang of this.'_ She thought to herself. After washing up and attempting to tame her unruly hair, she pulled it back in a ponytail and stepped back out the bathroom.

"Good morning, Ivy. I see you are dressed and ready. We will have a small breakfast and then begin our journey to King's Cross Station. I assume you have used muggle transportation before?" McGonagall asked.

"Yes, ma'am, some." Ivy responded.

"We will be using a taxi." The professor said, making it almost a question, as she wasn't sure exactly what a taxi was. "I have some muggle money to pay for it with." Levitating Ivy's trunk, she maneuvered it down the stairs and out into the London street. Ivy followed with Timber leading the way through the maze of chairs and tables in the inn. Out in the street a taxi was waiting for them. The driver opened the trunk of the car and put her trunk in it. He didn't mention the fact that it was floating, so he either didn't notice or didn't care. Professor McGonagall opened the door and helped Ivy in to the car, then climbed in beside her. The driver slowly pulled out into the light traffic and made his way to King's Cross Train Station. Ivy felt butterflies in her stomach for the first time in her life. She was excited and nervous at the same time. She wasn't sure if she should laugh, cry, or throw up. Hopefully it wouldn't be the latter. She missed Harry, though. He had been her only friend for the past 5 years. She hoped he was okay, she never really trusted those relatives of his. It took almost an hour for the taxi to reach the station. The driver got out and grabbed a trolley to place the trunk on. Timber was all business as he kept an eye out for obstacles in the way of Ivy's walking path. The professor led them to a wall between platforms 9 and 10. "Now, you just have to walk straight, Ivy. Timber, it's not actually a wall, don't be afraid of it." She said. Timber whined slightly, but then barked that he understood.

_'A wall? She's making me walk into a wall?'_ Ivy thought. She felt Timber pull and slowly moved her feet to walk beside him. She heard him whine again, and then felt a rush of cool air on her face. She heard the bustle of other people making their way to the train. She heard the whoosh of the steam of the train's engine and the clang of the bell. Smiling, she waited for the professor to join her. McGonagall placed a hand on her shoulder and led her to the train.

"There's 3 steps up here, dear." She told Ivy. Ivy found the steps with her white cane and took a step up into the train. Once inside, Professor McGonagall found an empty compartment and opened the door. "Here you are dear. Have a seat; I'll just put your trunk up here. Now, I have to head back to the school to greet the students when you arrive. I will see you in a few hours. Once the train arrives at Hogsmeade Station, Hagrid will find you and will take care of getting you to the castle. Enjoy the ride." With a loud crack, she disappeared. Ivy settled in to a seat and Timber sat at her feet.

"Well, Timber, here we are." Ivy said quietly. She heard the other students outside her compartment, calling to each other and saying goodbye to their parents. Smiling to herself, she rested her head on the back of the seat.

Harry had found his way to the station and on to the train. He was nervous, since he just found out that he was a wizard, he didn't really know anything about magic. Walking down the aisle of the train, he began looking for an empty compartment. Several kids stared at him and he brushed it off, thinking that he was just a new face and they were intrigued. He glanced into a compartment and saw a young girl sitting there alone. Thinking he would move on, he suddenly stopped. _'No, it couldn't be, could it?'_ he thought, taking a second look at the girl. _'I don't believe it, it is Ivy.'_

Opening the compartment door, he stepped in noiselessly and pulled his trunk in behind him. Closing the door, he sat down opposite her and smiled. "Hello Harry." She said.

"How'd you know it was me?" he said, pouting.

"Your smell, Harry," Ivy laughed. "I've been wanting to tell you that I found out I'm a witch for some time now, but your aunt and uncle locked you up in the house for weeks and weeks, and then you disappeared."

"Yeah, I just found out on my birthday that I'm a wizard. Strange how we never knew." He replied. Seeing Timber, he spoke again. "Who's this?"

"Oh, sorry, this is Timber. The headmaster found him for me. He's a Seeing Eye dog and is supposed to keep me from falling down stairs at school." She answered.

"That's amazing. So, he will be with you all the time?" he asked.

"Yes, all the time. He's really great, helped me navigate the crowd of people in the station without bumping in to anyone." She told him.

The two talked and laughed, relishing the fact that they had at least one friend going to this strange place with them. The compartment door opened and a boy stuck his head in. "Do you mind? Everywhere else is full." He asked.

"Oh, no, we don't mind. Come on in." Harry replied, moving to sit beside Ivy.

"I'm Ron, by the way, Ron Weasley." The boy said, introducing himself.

"Oh, I'm Harry, Harry Potter, and this is…" Harry began.

"Blimey, you're Harry Potter!" Ron exclaimed. "Do you really have the… you know, scar?" He asked.

Harry laughed and reached up to brush his hair off his forehead to show his lightning bolt shaped scar. Ron seemed impressed, and Ivy knew why. She had read a few pages of one of her school books and was surprised to find Harry's name in there. She read how he had escaped a curse that no one had ever escaped before. Harry was famous and didn't even know it. Smiling, she waited as they talked. "Oh, sorry, this is Ivy Mitchell. She's a friend of mine from where I live." Harry said, remembering that Ivy was there.

"Nice to meet you, Ivy." Ron said, noticing that she stared at the wall of the compartment rather than look over at him when he spoke.

Harry seeing his confused look, "She's blind, Ron."

"Oh, sorry for staring." Ron said, turning as red as his hair.

"It's okay; I'm used to it, Ron. Would it be okay with you if I 'look' at your face?" Ivy said, holding her hands up slightly. Ron looked at Harry with a look of fear on his face. Harry nodded at him, telling him that it would be fine.

"Sure." Ron said, warily, his eyes darting back and forth between Ivy and Harry.

"I won't hurt you." She said, moving her hands over to find his face. She gently felt his chin and cheeks, his lips, nose and eyes. Moving around, she felt his ears and then his hair. "You have a friendly face, Ron, and very red hair." Ivy said, removing her hands.

"How- How'd you know I have red hair?" he asked.

"Colors feel differently, especially in hair." She told him. Ron stared at her, amazed. They talked more and Ron started to demonstrate a spell that his brother had taught him. Just as he was about to begin, the compartment door opened and a bushy haired girl stuck her head in the door.

"Has anyone seen a toad? A boy named Neville has lost one." She asked in a huff.

Harry and Ron shook their head, but Ivy remained motionless.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see then." She said, noticing that Ron had his wand out. Ron said the spell, but nothing happened. "Are you sure that's a real spell? Not a very good one is it?" she said, and made her way into the compartment with them. "I done a few spells and have had great success with them. For example, Occulus Reparo." She said, and pointed her wand at Harry's face. A snap was heard and his glasses were mended. "Crickey! You're Harry Potter!" she exclaimed. "I'm Hermione Granger. And you are?" she turned to Ron.

"Ron Weasley." He croaked out.

"Pleasure." She stood to leave, not really paying much attention to Ivy. "I expect we'll be arriving soon, so you may want to change. You've got dirt on your face, did you know? Just there." She said, turning to Ron. Turning to leave, she turned back and said, "Dogs aren't allowed at Hogwarts. It's in the rule book." she left, her robe swishing behind her, her nose stuck up in the air a bit.

"She sounds….. nice… ish." Ivy said with a smile. Harry and Ron laugh and they began pulling their robes out and putting them on. Harry pulled out Ivy's for her and helped her put it on.

The train slowed and voice was heard overhead. "Welcome to Hogsmeade Station, please leave your things on the train, they will be transported to the castle separately."

Timber stood and Ivy grabbed onto the handle on his harness with her left hand and pulled out her white cane with her right hand. "Follow Harry, Timber." She said.

Harry led them out to the steps and off the train. "First years, over here." They heard a voice call out. Harry saw Hagrid standing with a lantern, waiting for them to join him. "Alright there, Harry?" he said, seeing Harry. Looking around, he found Ivy. "Ah, Miss Mitchell, glad you could make it. Just follow me and we'll make sure you get to the castle safe and sound." Hagrid told her. Judging by the sound of his voice, she thought he was probably a very tall man. He seemed nice, though.

"Just follow Harry, Timber. It's alright." She said and patted the dog's side. They began to walk slowly forward.

"Right then, you'll get your first glimpse of the castle just here." Hagrid said as he led them towards the lake. "Alright, 4 to a boat, no pushing." He told them.

"Boat!?" Ivy questioned.

"It's alright, Ivy. The boat's not going to move when you get in. I've got them stable." Hagrid said.

"Harry…." She started.

"Right here. I'll get in first and then help you in." he said. Everyone was staring at them. Harry got into the boat and then took Ivy's right hand. She cautiously inched her foot forward until she felt the edge of the boat. "Take a step. It's okay, I've got you." He said as he helped her into the boat. She was relieved to find that the boat didn't move when she stepped into it, but she was still very apprehensive about the whole thing. Timber jumped in after her and then Ron joined them. Nervously tapping her foot, Ivy waited until they could get out. She felt a slight jolt when they bumped into the dock on the other side of the lake. Stifling a scream, she held her hand to mouth. Harry got out of the boat and reached down to take Ivy's hand to help her out. She stepped out, feeling grateful that she was on solid ground again. Timber joined her and she grabbed on to the handle again, shaking out her white cane for the walk to the castle.

"Please tell me that we don't have to go by boat every year." She whispered.

"No, just the first year. More impressive, I think. After this year, we go by carriage." Ron told her. They followed Hagrid up to the massive front doors of the castle. He knocked on the door and it opened.

"The first years, Professor." He said and then turned to leave. They were all ushered inside and gathered in a group in the entrance.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Welcome to Hogwarts. In a few moments, you will enter the great hall and be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Your house will be like your family here at Hogwarts. Triumphs will gain you house points; any rule breaking and you will lose house points. The house with the most points at the end of the year will win the House Cup. I will back for you momentarily." Professor McGonagall told them and stepped into the Great Hall.

"It's true, then. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts." A voice rang out. Ivy heard excited whispers all around her. She smiled slightly, knowing that Harry was a bit embarrassed. She heard the exchange between them and heard the nastiness in the boy's voice when he spoke to Ron. "I'm Draco Malfoy." The boy said. Harry didn't take his proffered hand, which caused him to sneer. He looked over and saw Ivy, and his expression softened a bit. She was quite lovely. Her brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail, but some tendrils had come loose to hang around her ears. Her face was pure, her eyes green; why was she just staring off into space like that. The professor came back to get them and they filed into the Great Hall.

Ivy felt all eyes on her as she made her way behind Harry. "Four tables, two on the left and two on the right, all parallel to each other." Harry whispered to her, trying to give her the lay of the room so that she didn't run into anything.

"When I call your name, please come up and sit on the stool. The sorting hat will then be placed on your head." Professor McGonagall called out to them. She began calling names and one by one the students went up to the hat.

"Looks like Gryffindor is the far right table, Hufflepuff is the closest on the right. Ravenclaw is the closest on the left and Slytherin is the far left." Harry told Ivy so that she would know where to go when she was called. "Of course it will be opposite when you come down the steps."

"Harry Potter." The professor called out. Harry went up and the hat was placed on his head. After several minutes it called out 'Gryffindor' and Harry took his place at the house table. Several more names were called and the students happily joined their tables.

Ivy was the last to be called. She started forward, "There are 3 steps here, dear." She heard Professor McGonagall say. She nodded and felt forward with her white cane to find the steps. Stepping up carefully, she turned around and felt the hat being dropped onto her head.

_'Hmm… a great mind, but a determination and great amount of courage overshadow all.'_ She heard in her mind. 'Gryffindor', the hat shouted out. Ivy smiled and the hat was removed from her head. She stepped back down the steps and started making her way to the left. She felt a hand on her arm and knew it was Harry, helping her to sit down at the table. Timber sat down beside her as the headmaster stood and called for quiet.

"A few announcements before we become too befuddled with food and drink. The first years will note that the forest on the castle grounds is forbidden. And a few of our older students might remember that as well." He paused, looking over at the Gryffindor table. "As you may have noticed, we have a new challenge this year. We have a blind student, Ivy Mitchell. She has a Seeing-Eye Dog and that is the only reason he is allowed on the grounds. He helps her get around without falling down steps and bumping into things. I hope you all will help her any way you can." He sat down as Ivy ducked her head, embarrassed to have attention called to her. Harry chuckled to her right. "Tuck in." the headmaster said and the food appeared on the plates and platters on the table.

Harry's eyes almost bugged out of his head, he had never seen so much food before in his life, let alone be able to eat as much as he wanted to. He started to reach for the nearest thing and saw Ivy out of the corner of his eye. "There's chicken and beef and fish, along with any side you could imagine. Would you like me to tell you where everything is, or just pass things to you?" he asked.

"Just pass them, please." Ivy said, always independent, never wanting to be a burden on anyone. Harry passed a platter of chicken to her and she put a piece on her plate. He followed with side dishes, remembering not to give her anything with seafood in it, as she was allergic.

"The jug of juice is in front of you and your cup is on the right of your plate." Harry told her as he loaded his plate up with food. Ron and Hermione watched from across the table, very interested in this connection between Harry and Ivy. They watched as Ivy reached for the jug and her cup. She placed her forefinger on the edge of the cup where it draped down over the edge, then poured the juice from the jug into the cup, stopping when she felt it touch her finger. She replaced the jug on the table and lifted the cup to her lips to drink.

Ron stared, gaping at her, "How'd you do that?" he squeaked.

Ivy swallowed and said, "I just pour until I feel it with my finger, then stop. No mess."

"Brilliant." He said, shaking his head. They all continued to eat, talking about things they've done, and getting to know each other. The noise in the hall was loud, but in a companionable way. Ivy felt the stares from across the room; it was something she was used to. People always stared at those who were different.

Draco kept watching Ivy, _'So, that's why she was staring off into space earlier. She can't see a blasted thing. She's very pretty.'_ Pansy Parkinson was sitting beside him and making comments about everyone who was not a Slytherin. He made a disgusted face and ignored her, continuing to watch Ivy, wondering what she was like.

Dumbledore stood and raised his hands for quiet once again, "I forgot to mention something in regards to Ivy. While here, her dog, Timber is on the job. Please do not torment him or try to lure him away from Ivy. He is here to protect her and help her. If anyone is caught tormenting him or keeping him from his work, you will be punished and house points will be taken away." He said and then dismissed them all to go to their rooms for the night. Harry helped Ivy to stand and Timber stood as well, allowing her to reach the handle on his harness better. She took it and shook out her white cane and began walking towards the door, following the sound of the prefects voice as he led them to Gryffindor house.

They arrived at the portrait and he spoke the password, telling them that it changed occasionally and that they would be informed when it did. Ivy felt a warmth when she entered the common room. Not just from the fire, but from the companionship of the people. "Girls rooms are up those stairs and to the right, boys the same and to the left. Boys are not allowed into the girls' rooms." The prefect said. "You will find that your things have already been brought to your room." He then turned and headed off towards his room. Harry looked a little concerned. He wasn't sure how Ivy was going to find her things. Then he noticed Hermione walking towards the stairs.

"Hermione, would you help me find the room and my bed?" Ivy asked, beating Harry to it.

"Oh, yeah, sure. What do I need to do?" she answered.

"Just hold on to my arm and lead me there, after this I should be able to find it on my own." Ivy replied. Hermione took her arm and led her up the stairs and to the girls' rooms. They found the 1st years room and entered.

"Here are your things, Ivy. The first bed we come to." Hermione told her.

"Thank you, Hermione. You've been a great help." Ivy said and stepped to the bedside. She felt around and found the trunk at the foot of the bed. Opening it, she pulled her clothes out and put them in the drawers in the chest by her bed. Grabbing a nightgown, she changed and then climbed into bed. Timber jumped up to the foot of the bed and settled in for the night. Ivy smiled to herself as she closed her eyes and sleep took her.

The next morning, she woke to her alarm and heard only the sounds of light breathing. Guessing that the others were still sleeping, she roused Timber and pulled her uniform off the chair. "Timber, do you know where the shower is?" she whispered to the dog. She started to try to find it on her own, but knew that it was pointless. Hermione sat up in bed, seeing Ivy up.

"Ivy? You okay?" she asked.

"Oh, Hermione, I didn't know you were awake. I was just wondering how I was going to get to the shower." Ivy stated.

"Oh, well, I'll show you." Hermione said and got out of bed, reaching for her own uniform and shower things. She took Ivy's arm and they made their way to the end of the room where the shower was located. Silently, Ivy counted the steps from her bed to the shower room. Hermione told her where the showers, toilets and sinks were located.

"Thank you, Hermione." She said and stepped towards a shower stall. Timber sat down outside the stall and waited for her to finish. She took time to wash her hair and her body. Turning off the water, she used a drying spell to dry her hair and body quickly. Dressing in her Gryffindor uniform, she stepped out of the stall and over to a counter to brush her hair and pull it back in a ponytail.

"Why don't you leave your hair down, Ivy?" Hermione asked.

"Well, since I can't see it, it's just easier to pull it back and then I don't have to worry about what it looks like." Ivy answered.

"I could help you. I could make sure it looks okay for you." The girl offered.

"Thanks, Hermione, that's sweet of you. I'll think about it." Ivy replied. She smiled and placed her things back in her bag as a few other girls came into the shower room. She grabbed the handle on Timber's harness and left to finish getting ready. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she pulled on her socks and shoes. Her uniform consisted of a pleated gray skirt, a pair of knee high black socks, black shoes, a white button down shirt and a sweater vest with the Gryffindor seal on the left chest. Her black robe went over this along with a burgundy and gold striped tie. Turning, she smiled, "How do I look?" she asked Hermione.

"Wonderful. Everything is in the right place." Hermione told her new friend. Ivy grinned and let Timber help her down the stairs to the common room. She had counted the steps the night before and knew which way to go when she came out of the room to find the stairs. Using her white cane, she found the top step and carefully walked down them.

"Good morning, Harry, Ron." She said as she entered the common room. She smelled other smells and knew that others were in the room, but she had yet to be introduced to them.

"Hey, how'd you know we were here?" Ron asked.

Harry laughed, "Your smell, Ron. She can tell us all by the way we smell."

"Hey, I don't smell, I took a shower." Ron said, indignantly.

Laughing, Ivy said, "It's not a bad thing, Ron. Everyone has a distinctive smell. Like, Harry for example, he smells of lime soap and spearmint toothpaste. Ron, you smell of lemon shampoo and orange toothpaste."

"Orange toothpaste? Really, Ron?" Harry said, looking over at him.

"Hey, I like the taste." Ron said, turning red. Hermione joined them and they set off for breakfast in the Great Hall. Once there, they sat in the same spots that had the night before. Harry told Ivy where each thing was on the table and she helped herself to the food and milk. While they were eating, Professor McGonagall came around with their class schedules.

"Here you are, Ivy. I took a course of the weeks after your birthday in Braille, learning how to write it and read it. I hope I got everything right, you'll let me know if something is wrong?" she said, laying a paper down beside Ivy's plate.

"That's very nice of you, Professor. I will certainly let you know, but I'm sure everything is just right." Ivy smiled at the professor. Reaching over to the paper, she skimmed her fingers over the bumps.

"Wicked." She heard Ron say across from her.

"It's Braille, Ron. It's how I read." She explained, continuing to skim her fingers over the paper. "Hmm… looks like Charms is first, then Transfiguration, then lunch and then Potions. I see Hufflepuff beside Charms, does that mean we share classes with other houses?" she observed.

"Yes, we share each main class with another house. Looks like we are with Hufflepuff for Charms and Transfiguration and then Slytherin for Potions. Tomorrow we will have different classes." Hermione told her. "I suppose we should get our books for today, class begins in half an hour."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Ivy stood and Timber fell in beside her as she shook out her white cane. Harry and Ron followed the two girls as they went back to their dorm to get their books and things for class. Within a few minutes, they were walking back down the corridor to the Charms classroom. Holding the door open, Harry let Ivy and Hermione enter the room first. Several students were already there, so Hermione led them to an empty table for the four of them. Ivy felt with her white cane to find the seat nearest her. Finding it, she folded up the cane and put it on the table. Placing her bag on the table, she sat down, Timber settling in beside her. They waited for the teacher to arrive, conversing quietly amongst themselves. The professor entered the classroom and the students went quiet. He began to call roll and then started explaining how charms worked. He assigned some reading for homework with the promise of actually teaching them spells during the next class. After the hour was up, he dismissed them and they all ventured to their Transfiguration class along with the Hufflepuff house. Professor McGonagall taught Transfiguration, and when the class arrived, she was sitting on her desk in cat form. She always transfigured herself like this every year for the 1st years, it always impressed them.

At lunch, the four friends laughed and joked. Ivy felt she was being watched and leaned over to Harry. "Okay, who's staring at me?" she asked.

Harry glanced around the Great Hall and seeing Draco's eyes on Ivy he leaned back towards her. "Malfoy."

Ivy nodded and continued eating. After they finished, they made their way to the dungeons for Potions class. This class they were having with the Slytherin students. They all took their seats, Harry helping Ivy to a seat. Draco watched them and wondered about their relationship. Professor Snape entered and told them how he would teach them to make potions. He was very skeptical about having Ivy in the class, didn't feel that she could make potions, not being able to see. He had allowed McGonagall to add new labels to his ingredient stores that now included some sort of bumps under the words. He waved his wand at the board and the recipe for the day's potion appeared on the door.

"Today, you will be making this shrinking potion. You have until the end of the hour." He said, and the students all looked at the board, except for Ivy who was flipping pages in a book in front of her. She found the page she wanted and began skimming the page with her fingers. Intrigued, he made his way to her table. "And just what are you doing, Miss Mitchell?" he asked.

"Reading the potion ingredients, sir." She stated.

"And how do I know that you are reading the right one?" he sneered at her.

"I guess you will just have to wait until I've made the potion and then decide if I've read the right one or not, sir." Ivy stated, as if it were obvious. He snorted and then swept away to check on the other students. "Did he just snort at me?"

"Yes, he did." Hermione giggled.

Ivy read the ingredients for the potion carefully and pulled out her supplies. She heard something metal hit the floor. Bending down to hunt for it, her head met up with another in a painful bump. Lifting her head up, she held a hand to the place that had contacted the other, "Oh, sorry."

"No, it's my fault, should have said something first. Here's your knife." The boy said.

Smiling, Ivy held out her hand for him to place the knife in it. "Draco, right?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?" he asked.

"Your voice. Thank you for your help." She said, turning back to her cauldron. At the end of class, she placed a portion of her potion in a vial and took it up to the professor's desk as instructed. He took it from her, noticing that it looked perfect. Surprised, he opened the vial to test it, as she made her way back to her seat and began to pack up.

"Miss Mitchell, might I have a moment of your time?" Snape asked, almost quietly.

"Sure, professor." She said and made her way back up to his desk as the other students began filing out.

"Run along, Potter, this doesn't concern you. I'll make sure she gets where she needs to be." The professor snapped at Harry who was waiting by the door.

"It's okay, Harry, I can find my way back." Ivy said and Harry left the room. "Is something wrong with my potion, professor?" she asked, turning back towards Snape.

"No, no, nothing like that, Ivy. I just wanted to say something that I've never said to a student before." He began. Opening and closing his mouth several times, he wasn't sure that he could say it. "I'm impressed. The potion you made is perfect, exactly as it should be. I will admit that I'm surprised. When Professor Dumbledore told us that we would have a blind student this year, I was very skeptical. I did not believe that you would be able to handle the wand work and potion making, but you have proved me wrong. It's not every day that I admit to being wrong. If there is anything you need help with, just ask. Any of the other students or teachers will be happy to help you, including myself and those of my house, Slytherin. I see you have already met Draco." The professor told her.

"Oh, yes, he seems very nice. And thank you for the offer of help. I get underestimated all the time because of my inability to actually see things. No one takes in to account that I do still have my other senses." She said.

"Well, do you need an escort to your house?" he asked.

Patting Timber on the head, she laughed, "I already have one, sir, but thank you." Turning, she stopped at her desk to gather her bag and white cane and made her way to the door. Professor Snape marveled at her ability to find her way around rooms that she had never been in before. She was an amazing girl, with a ton of bravery to put up with all the stares and stereotypes that people placed on her.

Ivy stepped out of the room and stopped for a moment. "Let's go home, Timber." She said, and turned to her right to begin walking down the corridor. After turning down another corridor, she smelled vanilla and apples. Remember whose smell that was, she smiled. "Hello again, Draco." She said.

"How'd you know this time? I didn't say anything." He said, falling in step beside her.

"Your smell. Each person has a different smell, and yours is vanilla and apples. Very nice." She told him.

"Brilliant. Mind if I walk with you?" he asked.

"Are you sure you want to be seen with a Gryffindor?" she laughed softly.

He was quiet for a moment, "I'll survive." He said with a smile.

They walked in silence for a few moments, "Tell me about yourself, Draco." She said as they reached the first set of stairs. Using her white cane, she found the bottom step and began counting to herself.

"Well, I'm an only child, pure-blood, in Slytherin, and I love Quidditch." He answered.

"What do you mean by pure-blood? And what's Quidditch?" she said, stopping on the landing at the top of the staircase.

"Well, pure-blood means that your whole family is made up of witches and wizards, no muggles. Quidditch is a game we play on broomsticks."

"Oh." She began walking up the next set of stairs. "So, what is someone who is magical but their parents are not?" she asked him.

"Those are mu—muggle-borns." He almost said that derogatory name for them. "And those with one magical parent and one muggle parent are half-bloods."

"So, if someone is magical, why does it matter what their blood is?" she asked. He stopped and stared at her on the next landing.

"Well, I don't know really. My father is always saying that pure-blood is the only true witch or wizard." Draco told her.

Ivy nodded, thinking, and began the next flight of stairs. Draco walked beside her in silence. They reached the landing and she turned to him. "May I see what you look like, Draco?" she asked.

"But—But you can't see anything." He said, confused.

"With my hands." She said.

"Okay." He said, still unsure of what she meant. She folded up her white cane and placed it inside her robe. Holding her hands out, she found his face and began feeling the features. His pointy chin, his cheeks, his lips, his nose, his ears, his eyes, his forehead and stopping at his hair.

"You have a beautiful face, Draco. Your hair is quite nice, too. A very light blonde, almost white. What color are your eyes?" She said, lowering her hands and pulling out her cane again.

"How can you tell what color my hair is? My eyes are a steel grey color." He asked and answered at the same time.

"Colors have a different feel to them, and hair does as well. It's just something I learned a long time ago." Ivy said and began walking again. She liked talking with Draco, he was very nice.

"There you are. I was getting worried and was going to come get you." Harry said, coming out of the portrait door.

"I told you I could find my way back on my own, Harry. You should know by now that I like to do things myself. Draco was kind enough to keep me company on the walk here." She said to her friend.

Harry noticed Draco for the first time, "Malfoy."

"Potter," Draco replied. "I need to be going. It was nice talking with you Ivy."

"Thank you, Draco, for walking with me. I appreciate the company." Ivy said to him as he turned to leave. He stopped and looked back at her, watching her climb in the portrait door to her house.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Days followed much the same as the first. Classes and getting to know classmates. One morning at breakfast, "Ivy, you have a letter." Harry said as an owl landed in front of her. Taking the letter off the owl's leg, he handed it to Ivy. She felt it, confused as to who would be sending her a letter. It didn't appear to be written in Braille, so she put it into her bag and didn't think too much of it. "Want me to read it for you?" he asked.

"No, thanks Harry, not right now." She answered and turned her attention to her food. She was getting used to all the smells and sounds in the Great Hall at meal time and had begun to pick out the distinctive ones that belonged to her friends.

After lunch, out in the greenhouses for Herbology, Ivy began to think about who sent her the letter. _'Who can I ask to read it for me?'_ Her first thought was Harry, but he would only worry. Then she thought about Draco and smiled. He was fast becoming a friend to her. Harry was reluctant to accept him at first, after hearing that all Slytherin students turned evil, but he did accept him as part of their group. Even Ron and Hermione warmed up to having Draco with them. Herbology was the one subject that Ivy had trouble with. She just couldn't tell the difference in the feel of some of the plants and had almost had her hand bitten off by the plant that was teething. Hermione tried to help her with the subject, but Ivy just wasn't able to tell the difference without seeing the plant. After another disastrous class where she wrongly gave a mandrake a carrot, she shuffled out of the greenhouse and started up to the castle for a quick shower before dinner. On the way, Draco came up beside her.

"Hey, it's okay that you aren't good at everything. It's a little intimidating for someone to be a master at all things." Draco said to her.

"I know; it's just frustrating is all. I've never had trouble with telling the difference in things before." She told him and they walked along in silence. "Draco, I was wondering if you would do something for me, later?" she asked.

"Sure, anything, Ivy." He answered.

"Would you meet me in the library after dinner?" she questioned.

"Absolutely." He replied and held open the door for her and Timber to enter the Great Hall. They went their separate ways to put their books away and shower. Ivy took her time in the shower, letting the hot water wash away the dirt and her insecurity. Emerging from the shower room, dressed and refreshed, she found her shoes and pulled them on. She made her way down to the Great Hall for dinner, and took her usual spot.

After dinner, she told her friends that she was going to the library to get a book. Finding a table near the back, she sat down and waited for Draco to join her. She waited for what seemed like hours, but was actually only five minutes, and he finally joined her at the table. "So, what is it you need me to do for you?" he asked as he sat down.

She pulled out the letter she received that morning. "Would you read this for me?" she asked quietly.

He took the envelope and pulled out the paper to read it.

_'Miss Mitchell,_

_Leaving with no word as to where you were going or when you would be back. Not showing up for days on end. I know that you are the one who was doing all those odd things, like making things fly around the room. They haven't happened since you left. If you ever darken this doorstep again, I will have you put away in an insane asylum forever. Your things have been split up and given to the other children here who are more courteous and normal than you. Do not come back here, you are not wanted._

_Mistress Thompson'_

Draco finished reading the letter and looked up at Ivy. He couldn't read the expression in her face. "I'm sorry." He said.

"It's not your fault, Draco. I was kind of expecting it anyway." She reached over for him to hand her the letter. Once it was in her hand, she put it away in her bag. "I would appreciate it if this was kept between us. Harry would just worry himself sick about it. I'll figure something out." She told him as she gathered up her things.

"Ivy? Are you going to tell Dumbledore?" Draco asked quietly.

Ivy shrugged, "Eventually." She said. "Thanks, Draco." She turned and made her way back to the Gryffindor common room. She went up to her room and set up her work in her bed, so that she could begin working on her homework. Essays were the hardest for her, as she had to write them in Braille and then have Professor McGonagall translate them for the other teachers to be able to read. She always turned them in on time, but hated that she had to bother the professor with translating her work.

Halloween came and with it a feast full of all their favorites. Ivy seemed a bit subdued, but Harry brushed it off. A week before Christmas, the professors went around their houses and asked who would be staying at school for the holiday. Harry and Ivy signed up as well as Ron, who said his parents were going to Romania to visit his brother. Draco had told them that his parents had a trip planned for the Christmas break and he would be going with them.

Waking on Christmas morning to a whine from Timber, Ivy sat up in bed. She felt something at her feet and reached for it, finding a pile of things wrapped. Feeling around the first one, she found her name spelled out in Braille. Realizing that it was a gift, she opened it and found a book translated into Braille from Hermione. Ivy found another and opened it to find a new cloak from Harry. Ron had given her a bunch of chocolate frogs. The last gift was small and she opened it with care. Inside she found a bracelet with charms hanging on it. Feeling the charms, she found one for each house of Hogwarts. Smiling, she found the small note inside that was in basic Braille. Reading it, she found McGonagall. With her help, Ivy was able to place orders for gifts for her friends.

On the first day after Christmas break, Draco knocked on Professor Snape's office door. "Yes, Draco, what can I do for you?" the professor asked.

"Well, sir, I'm concerned about Ivy. She received this letter several months ago, and I'm afraid she hasn't said anything to Professor Dumbledore yet. I know I shouldn't have taken the letter, but I feared that she wouldn't tell anyone and then be left homeless." Draco said.

Professor Snape looked at him and held out his hand for the letter. After reading it, he spoke, "I'll bring this to the headmaster attention, Draco. You did the right thing coming to me. I'm sure she wants to work all this out on her own, but no one will be willing to help an 11 year old find a place to live away from here. We will work something out." He then dismissed Draco and followed him out the door to take the letter to the headmaster's office.

At dinner a week later, Professor Snape stopped at the Gryffindor table. "Miss Mitchell, would you come with me, please?" he asked.

Ivy nodded and stood to follow the professor out of the Great Hall. Timber led her behind Snape to the headmaster's office. "Fizzy Whizbees," the professor said and Ivy heard a stone being moved. He placed his hand on her arm to guide her through the opening. "This is a moving staircase, so just stay still." At the top, he led her to a chair.

"Ah, Ivy, how lovely to see you again." Professor Dumbledore spoke. "I've asked you here to discuss your situation. Young mister Malfoy found a letter that was sent to you by the orphanage you were in. It seems they don't want you to come back. So, I've been making some arrangements for you. Professor Snape or Professor McGonagall will sign any permission forms you need, as they have both agreed to be your guardians. Professor Snape has graciously offered to allow you to reside with him during the summer holidays. Is this agreeable with you?"

"I don't know what to say, other than thank you. I will be on my best behavior for Professor Snape. I am grateful for the help making arrangements for me. I didn't really know what to do and I was afraid to tell anyone." She said, eyes filling with tears.

"It's no trouble at all, dear. We are here to help." Dumbledore said.

"Thank you, headmaster and Professor Snape, thank you as well." She said and turned to leave. "I can find my way back, professors, thank you."

The two men watched her leave with concerned expressions. Something wasn't right with this young girl. She didn't seem that happy anymore. She made her way back to the Gryffindor common room to find Harry, Ron and Hermione waiting for her.

"Everything okay?" Harry asked, standing up when he saw her.

"Sure, everything's fine. A friend betrayed my trust, but it's no big deal." Ivy said and went up to her room.

Harry looked over at Hermione who sighed and got up to follow Ivy. "I'll talk to her." She said. She found Ivy on her bed, absentmindedly stroking Timber's fur. "Ivy, do you want to talk about it?"

"I suppose Harry sent you up here." Ivy sighed. "I was called up to Dumbledore's office for him to tell me that he made arrangements for me to stay somewhere over the summer. See, I got a letter not too long ago from the orphanage saying that I wasn't welcome back there and that they had given all my things away, not that I had much to begin with. Draco is the only person to know about that letter, so I know he's the one who took it to the headmaster. I didn't want the headmaster to know." She said, defeated.

"But, Ivy, if you couldn't go back to the orphanage where were you going to go?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know, but I would have figured out something." She answered.

"I'm sure Draco was only acting in your best interest. He was concerned for you not having a place to live during the summer. I don't think he really meant to betray your trust, I think he was acting out of concern. He figured that you wouldn't tell anyone and didn't want you to be living on the streets. None of us want that for you. You are our friend and we love you. I'm sure Draco feels the same way." Hermione said putting her arm around Ivy.

"I suppose. It just hurts. I asked him to keep it between us, and he goes running to the headmaster about it." Ivy said, tears beginning to form in her unseeing eyes.

"Talk to him. I'm sure he had a reason for doing what he did." Hermione said. "Do you want me to tell Harry?"

Ivy sighed as a sob began to form in her throat, "No, I'll tell him in the morning. I can't tonight."

"Okay. I'll just be over there if you need me." Her friend said, and got up to go to her own bed.

"Thanks, Hermione." Ivy said and lay down in the bed to get some sleep. Sleep wouldn't come though; she kept thinking and felt tears run down her face. She finally drifted off to sleep just before the sun came up.

Hermione woke and gently woke Ivy to get ready for classes. Ivy dressed automatically, not really thinking about what she was doing. She absently made her way down to the Great Hall for breakfast, finding her usual seat; she sat and began pulling food towards her.

Harry watched her enter the hall with concern. What was happening with his best friend? "You okay, Ivy?" he asked.

"Yeah, Harry." She sighed. "Remember that letter I got that was not written in Braille?" at his 'mmmhmmm', she continued, "It was from the orphanage, saying that I was not welcome back there anymore and that they had given my things away. Draco is the only one who knew what that letter said, and yesterday Professor Dumbledore informed me that he had made arrangements for me, since the orphanage wouldn't take me back. I had asked Draco to keep that letter between us, but he didn't keep his promise."

"I'm sure he was only doing what he thought best for you. Knowing you, I would have done the same thing. You wouldn't seek out help from anyone for any reason." Harry said with a smile. "It's one of your many endearing qualities."

Ivy smiled slightly and then stiffened, she had smelled Draco near. "Good morning, guys." He said and sat down opposite Ivy.

Everyone greeted him, except Ivy. She stiffened even more and then got up to leave, mumbling something about getting some air. Harry stared after her, along with a very confused Draco. "What's wrong with her?" Draco asked.

"She's upset with you. She was called to the headmaster's office last night. He told her that he made arrangements for her to have a place to stay for the summers." Hermione told him.

Draco hung his head, "I didn't know what else to do. She certainly wasn't telling Dumbledore that she couldn't go back to the orphanage."

"We know, Draco. You just have to convince her that you only wanted what was best for her. Knowing her like I do, she wouldn't have gone to Dumbledore about this, even if she had to live on the streets and steal food to survive. Very independent, that one." Harry said.

Sighing, Draco got up and followed the path Ivy had taken out of the castle. Seeing her across the courtyard, he made his way towards her. Hearing her sniffle, he cautiously approached, "Ivy?" he spoke quietly, so as not to startle her.

"What is it, Draco?" she snapped.

"I'm sorry. I only want what's best for you, and I kept waiting and waiting for you to go to Dumbledore about the letter. When you didn't, I went to Snape about it. I didn't want to go back on my promise, but I didn't see any other choice. I'm really sorry that I hurt you. I didn't want to, but I felt that I had to do something." He said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She felt a small shock of electricity at his touch, "It's okay, Draco. I understand, I truly do. I just have a really hard time asking for help. For 10 years, I've had to do things for myself. Goodness knows that the orphanage matron wasn't going to do anything to help me. I was mad at you, but Harry made me understand that you were only being a friend. He said that he would do the same thing as you did, only he would have went as soon as he read the letter. You, at least, waited to see if I would talk to the headmaster first. You were only thinking of me, and I really do appreciate that. I'm not mad at you. I like that you are concerned for me." Ivy said with softness in her voice.

"So, why did you leave when I came in to breakfast?" he asked.

"I just needed to think. I have lots to get used to. The idea of having other people care for me and be concerned about me. The idea that I might actually have a family of sorts, even if it is a mismatched one." She answered.

"So, where will you be staying over the summers?" Draco asked her.

Ivy laughed, "With Professor Snape. He and McGonagall are going to be my guardians, but since she stays here at the castle over the summers to help Dumbledore, Snape is the one I will be living with." Overcome with laughter, she bent almost double.

Draco laughed with her for a moment, and then just listened to the sound of her laughter. It was pure heavenly music to him. _'Well, that means I can see her over the summer. She will be with uncle Sev.'_ He thought to himself. Professor Snape happened to be his godfather, and they didn't live too far from each other. This was turning out to be a good thing. Breaking her laughter, "Ivy, we really should get to class. I don't think Professor Snape will take to kindly to us being late, especially now."

Ivy stopped laughing and took hold of Timber's harness. Walking beside Draco, she smiled to herself, glad that she had another friend who could laugh with her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

As classes drew to a close, exams were taken and goodbyes were said, the students all packed their things and made their way to the carriages to get to the train. Professor Snape had told Ivy that he would meet her in King's Cross Station to take her home. He had some things to finish up at the school before he could leave. Ivy, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting in a compartment together. Draco was sitting with his friends from Slytherin. "So, Ivy, where will you be staying?" Harry asked her. She had been very secretive about it.

Sighing, "Harry, you can't stand it, can you?" she smiled. "You will see who I am staying with when we get to the station, I promise."

Making an exasperated sound, Harry folded his arms and sat back in the seat. Hermione giggled at him, "Is he pouting?" Ivy asked.

"Yes, he is." Ron answered. The friends talked about their plans for the summer and purchased sweets from the trolley.

The train slowed and came to a stop. Everyone scrambled around to get their trunks and things out of the train. Harry and Ron helped Ivy get her trunk, since her hands were full with Timber and her cane. Sitting it down outside, they looked around. Harry scanned the faces in the crowd, anxious to see who Ivy would be staying with. He groaned when he saw Professor Snape coming towards them. "What's he doing here?" he muttered.

Ivy smiled, knowing who he was talking about. She had caught Snape's scent when the wind wafted towards them. He smelled of lilacs and strangely of frogs. It was a very unique smell. Clearing his throat, "Ivy, is this your trunk? Are you ready?" the professor asked.

"Yes, professor. I'm ready." She turned to Harry, "I'm sure you know Professor Snape. This is who I will be staying with." Knowing she had left Harry and the others flabbergasted, she turned to the professor and took his proffered arm as he took hold of her trunk. They disappeared with a loud crack. Draco had been watching from the other side of the platform. Smiling, he turned to find his parents.

Ivy spent a surprisingly enjoyable summer with Professor Snape. Draco had come by a few times and they took walks together. Professor Snape wasn't the horrid person that he was at school. After getting her letter for her second year, he took her to Diagon Alley to get her supplies. She learned that he was actually a kind man, just unhappy.

The years sped by and Ivy found herself in 4th year. Draco and his family had taken Ivy to the Quidditch World Cup match, not that she could see it. She felt the excitement in the air and heard the roar of the crowd. Draco told her what was going on the game. He really wanted her to be able to see him play.

Professor Snape apparated himself and Ivy to the platform as he usually did for the trip to school. Placing her trunk in an empty compartment he muttered, "See you in a few hours, Ivy," and disappeared. As Ivy waited for the others to join her on the train, she reflected on her life. She had come a long way from the orphanage and even from the first 'family' she had been placed in when she was born. She didn't like to think about that. Even though she was only a year old when she was taken from them, she remembered every detail of her life then. It wasn't pretty.

The door slid open and she smelled vanilla and apples. Smiling she scooted over to the window so that he could sit beside her. She always looked forward to seeing Draco again. "Hi." She said.

"Hi, yourself. I didn't see uncle Sev, did he leave already?" Draco asked, sitting down and placing a hand on her arm.

"Yeah, we came here a bit early, as he said he had a meeting with Dumbledore." Ivy said as Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered the compartment.

The friends caught up, even though they had seen each other at the World Cup match. Arriving at Hogsmeade Station, they all got a carriage together for the ride to the castle. Draco brushed his hand on Ivy's shoulder as he made his way to the Slytherin table. She shivered slightly, always getting tingly whenever he touched her. Smiling, she sat down at the end of the Gryffindor table with Timber at her side. It was always easier for her to sit at the end of the table, that way she didn't get tripped up by climbing over the bench. She waited as the sorting ceremony took place and then waited as the headmaster stood and called for silence.

"This year, we have the great honor of hosting the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Around Halloween, a delegation from the Beuxbaton Academy and the Durmstrang Institute will arrive and the champions will be chosen. The committee has made a new rule this time that only those who are 17 will be able to participate in the tournament. I hope you will all be on your best behavior when the delegations arrive. Let the feast begin." Dumbledore stated and then sat down as the food appeared.

Ivy smiled to herself, feeling happier than ever for some reason. They all ate as much as their stomachs could hold of the delicious feast. After making their way to their dorms, they all fell exhausted into bed. Classes began the next day and everyone attended with anticipation. Herbology became harder and harder for Ivy with each year. She just couldn't tell the difference in the plants.

Just before the other students were to arrive, Professor McGonagall called her house students in for a meeting. She told them about the Yule Ball that would take place on Christmas Eve and that the champions were expected to have a partner and lead the dance. Excitedly, they dispersed, talking about the dance.

Halloween arrived, bringing with it the students from the other magic schools. The Goblet of Fire was placed out for the students to place their names in for consideration to become a champion. The next night at dinner, she listened as the names were called, three of them, one from each school. Then she heard the anger, amazement and disbelief in Dumbledore's voice as he called out Harry's name. Ivy gasped, knowing that he was now a champion, even though he didn't put his name in. Everyone grew silent as she heard the swish of Harry's robe as he made his way to Dumbledore. Ivy sat silently, waiting for someone to say something. Before long, Professor McGonagall stood and dismissed everyone to bed. Ivy got up and slowly made her way out of the Great Hall to climb the stairs to her room. Timber led kept her from bumping in to anyone, as she had forgotten to take out her white cane. She stumbled on the first step, only to find strong hands catching her before falling. A tingle when up her arms and down her spine, Draco.

"Careful there. We wouldn't want you to fall." He said, smiling down at her.

"Sorry. I'm just really worried about Harry. There's no way he could have put his own name in that goblet. He couldn't have gotten past the age line." She told him, as he kept his hand on her arm and led her up the stairs.

"Yeah, well, there's nothing that can be done about it. He's bound by the magical contract now. He has to compete." Draco said.

"I know, but that doesn't stop me from worrying." She said as they reached her portrait door. "See you tomorrow, Draco." Climbing in the portrait door, she turned to continue up the stairs to her bed.

Draco turned and headed back to the dungeons and his own common room. _'Fool, you should have just asked her,'_ he told himself.

The next morning at breakfast, everyone stared at Harry as he entered the Great Hall. He hated it, everything about it. He didn't want to compete in this bloody tournament. He wished everyone would stop staring and whispering. Sitting down in his usual place beside Ivy, he loaded his plate and began to chew slowly.

Professor McGonagall held Harry back after Transfiguration that day to let him know that he had to have a partner for the dance, since he was a champion. _'Great, now who can I ask that won't think something of being asked?'_ Only one person came to mind, Ivy.

Walking in to the common room after lunch, he spotted her near the fire and asked her to be his partner for the dance. She agreed and they sat down to get started on homework.

A few weeks later, Draco sat down next to Ivy in potions class. He leaned over and whispered in her ear. Ivy giggled at the feel of his breath on her ear. "Oh, I'm sorry, Draco. Harry already asked me." She said.

"No problem. I thought I would ask." He said, frowning slightly. _'Dang, I waited too late,'_ he thought.

Before long, it was Christmas Eve and time for the Yule Ball. Ivy allowed Hermione and Ginny to fix her hair for her, so that it looked nice for the formal dance. She wasn't sure how things would work, wondering what to do with Timber while she danced. She guessed he would just sit at the table. Professor Snape had actually helped her pick out a formal dress when they were in Diagon Alley buying her school supplies. It was on her list, and he surprising had very good fashion sense.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The dress was completely silver with thin straps over her shoulders. The gathered waist was dotted with a rose on the left hip, and the shirt flared out slightly. It fluttered around her legs and feet as she walked. She had on low strappy silver heels. Her hair hung down around her shoulders in curls. Ginny had placed a sprig of baby's breath in a barrette and pinned up one side of Ivy's hair with it.

"Oh, Ivy, you look so beautiful." Hermione said softly.

"Thank you. I wish I could tell what you both look like. I really appreciate the help getting ready." Ivy said and stood, a little unsteady in the heels. Knowing that the guys were downstairs waiting, they made their way down the stairs. Hermione going first to meet up with Viktor, the champion from Durmstrang. Ginny went down to meet up with Neville. Ivy followed slowly, still getting used to the heels to find Harry waiting at the bottom of the steps.

"Wow. You look beautiful, Ivy." Harry said in a low voice.

"Thank you, Harry. I feel beautiful." She said. They made their way down to the Great Hall to line up with the other champions waiting to enter the dance. The other students were entering before they were, so they had to wait a short time. Finally, Professor McGonagall ushered them in to the hall in front of the other students. Ivy whispered to Timber to find Ginny and have a seat while she danced with Harry. He stopped walking and turned to her slowly, putting his hand on her waist and taking her hand in his other one. They began the dance and were relieved when it was over. Ivy had lost count of the times that she stepped on Harry's toes. He led her to the seat near Timber and took the seat next to her.

Draco watched them enter. She was breathtaking in her silver gown. It complemented her ivory skin perfectly. Her hair was flowing around her shoulders, caressing her skin softly. He groaned inwardly. She was so beautiful, and she was here with Harry, not him. He made a face and turned to leave the hall. A hand reached out to grasp his arm and he turned, furious that someone had stopped him. Seeing Harry, he turned to leave again. "Let's talk." Harry said abruptly.

"About what?" Draco asked.

Harry led him to a secluded corner of the hall and spoke, "The only reason I asked her here is that she wouldn't expect anything from me after this. She wouldn't expect a relationship that I'm not prepared to give. Hell, Malfoy, she's my best friend, my sister, I could never think of her the way you do. Ask her to dance, for Merlin's sake. You're the one she wants, not me."

Draco looked at him intently, realizing that he was telling the truth. Harry didn't think of her in a romantic way. Running a hand over his face, he walked over to where Ivy was sitting, sipping a drink. Kneeling in front of her, he took both of her hands in his, knowing she knew it was him. She smiled at him. "Dance with me, please." He said.

Ivy nodded and they stood, making their way to the dance floor. A slow song had started up, and he placed her hands around his neck while he put his hands on her waist. They stood stiffly for a few moments, and then he growled and pulled her closer to him. Completely forgetting where they were and that he had come here with someone else, he lost himself in her scent and the feel of her against him. They clung to each other swaying to the music, not caring that other people were around. He loved the feel of her in his arms and the smell of her hair as he buried his face in it. He didn't even notice the death stares that Pansy was giving them. He had come to this dance with her and here he was dancing with someone else. He didn't care though, he was holding an angel in his arms and he didn't ever want to let go.

Ivy sighed as she melted into his embrace. He felt so good and his smell was so intoxicating. She knew that she loved him, even though she was only 14. They didn't break apart as the song ended and another began. She wanted him to hold her forever. The electric tingly feeling was coursing through her body and it scared her slightly. She knew that he would never hurt her, though, and that he would be there no matter what. Sighing, she wrapped her arms tighter around his middle and snuggled closer.

Draco looked down at her and smiled. He lifted one hand to the back of her head and the other to the side of her face to cup her cheek. Lifting her face to his, he leaned in and placed his lips against hers. He was in heaven, nothing else mattered at that moment, except his lips on hers and hers responding in kind. As they kissed, they felt an electricity building within them and heard the others around them gasping. Pulling away reluctantly, Draco looked up and saw everyone looking at them in surprise. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Professor Snape standing behind him. "Come with me." The professor said. Draco looked at him oddly, not really understanding why they were being taken out of the dance, but followed, leading Ivy beside him. Timber fell into step on the other side of Ivy and she grasped his handle with her left hand. They were taken into the nearest empty classroom and she heard Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore enter the room behind them.

"Better get Lucius and Narcissa here." Dumbledore told Snape. Severus stepped to the fireplace and tossed in some powder. He called out something and stuck his face in the green flames. They could hear him talking, but couldn't tell what he was saying.

He stood back up and turned to them, "On their way." He said as the green flames roared to life again, this time depositing Narcissa Malfoy and Lucius Malfoy into the room. Draco was surprised to see his parents there. They all turned to Dumbledore for an explanation.

"What do you all know about magical bonds?" he asked.

"Well, they are permanent from the beginning, and they are deadly if ignored." Ivy said.

"That's right. I'm assuming this is the first contact of that sort that you two have had?" Dumbledore spoke again.

"You mean, kissing? Yes, that was our first kiss." Draco said, not embarrassed at all of the fact that his parents were in the room.

"What's this all about, Dumbledore?" Lucius hissed.

"When these two kissed at the dance, a golden light glowed over them, stretching from the sky to the ground. You all know what that light signifies. A magical bond, meaning that these two are destined to be together and that they have to seal the bond within a year to prevent their deaths. They also have to conceive a child within two years to prevent their death. That's how the magical bond works. It will become increasingly difficult for them to be apart as the days pass. That's why we called you here Lucius, to tell you that your son is now a married man, legal and binding." Snape spoke up.

Ivy gasped as the realization hit her. They were talking about her and Draco being married. It didn't make any sense. How could they be married, they were only 14? Draco gaped at the professor and turned to look at his parents. His father's face was furious. "How could you? You know that we have this arrangement with the Greengrasses. You know that we had plans for you." Lucius spit out at his son.

"Well, sorry, father, it's not like I summoned a magical bond on purpose." Draco said, looking at his mother for support.

"Lucius, you know that these things are not planned and that they are very, very rare. This is only the third one that has ever been witnessed. The first two ending in the deaths of the two involved because they denied the bond. You don't want your son dead, now do you?" Professor McGonagall spoke for the first time since entering the room.

"Better than being saddled with a disabled person who has to depend on everyone around her." Lucius said hatred in his voice.

"How dare you? You don't even know her. She rarely asks for help. She can do more than anyone I've ever known." Draco cried.

"Draco, calm down. It's okay. I've heard it all before, and worse. Words don't bother me." Ivy said, placing a hand on Draco's arm. He looked down at her and his expression softened with love evident in his eyes. His mother saw the look and knew that this love was indeed a true love.

"Draco, do you understand about this bond? Do you realize what it means?" Narcissa asked her son.

"Yes, mother, I do. It means that if we aren't together, then we will hurt and if we don't ummm… consummate our relationship within a year, we die." Draco told his mother, turning slightly red at talking about sex with his parents in the room.

Ivy turned red as well, knowing that these adults were talking about her and Draco sharing a bed together.

"It doesn't have to be tonight, just sometime within a year." Dumbledore said, knowing that the teens were uncomfortable. "I just wanted you two here to witness this, Lucius, Narcissa. I hope we didn't inconvenience you too much," he added.

Lucius turned and with a swish of his cloak, stepped into the fire and vanished. Narcissa smiled at the room and followed her husband. "Yeah, that went well." Draco said quietly.

"Well, you two may go. The dance is over now, so off to bed." Snape snapped at them. He wasn't too thrilled with seeing the young girl he had come to care for as if she was his own married. Although, he knew there was nothing that could be done. A magical bond was permanent. He watched them leave, knowing that they would probably talk before heading to bed.

Draco and Ivy walked slowly up the stairs to Gryffindor tower. "Well, this is interesting. I never expected this when I finally got up the nerve to kiss you." Draco said softly to her.

"It's not something either of us expected. We just have to accept it and move on. I honestly don't think we are ready to seal the bond just yet. I'm glad that it's a year and not a day." She said.

"Yeah, kind of takes the pressure off. It's a little unnerving knowing that all these people know that we have to… well… you know." He said, turning away slightly.

"Sure. I just hope we don't have to do it in front of other people to prove that we sealed the bond." Ivy laughed. They had reached the portrait door. Sighing, she started to say the password. He growled softly and took her by the shoulders, pushing her gently against the wall. Bending his head slightly, he brought his lips to hers and kissed her again. The electricity was there again, not as strong this time, but still present. Releasing her lips, he placed his forehead against hers.

"I love you, Ivy. I have for a long time." He said, slightly breathless.

"I love you, Draco. It's taken me a while to understand that. I've never had someone to show me how to love." She replied.

Letting her go, he watched as she stepped into the portrait door and vanished inside. He turned to go to his own room, feeling his heart hurting to be away from her. _'This must be what Snape meant when he said it would be about being apart from her.'_ He walked on, not really wanting to go to his own room, but knowing that he had to. The night was a restless one for them both. They wanted to be in the other's arms, but knew that they couldn't be.

The next morning was Christmas, and Draco woke from his uneasy slumber nervous about Ivy's present. _'Will she like it?'_ He had written a poem and had taken a few lessons from McGonagall on writing Braille. Wrapping it into a leather binder, he sent it to her as a gift. He was nervous that she wouldn't like it. Looking at the pile of gifts at the foot of his bed, he began opening them, wishing he could be with Ivy. He purposely left her gift until last, opening it slowly and with care. Inside was a ring with two serpents intertwined and a green emerald in the middle. It was amazing and the perfect size for his finger. He slipped it on and dressed in something other than his uniform. He ventured down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Seeing everyone already there, he realized that he had slept later than usual. Grabbing an apple from the bowl on the Ravenclaw table, he strode up the aisle to the end of the Gryffindor table where she was. His eyes trained on her and her alone, he didn't notice the stares he received as he made his way to her side.

"Shove over, Potter," he snapped, seeing Harry sitting rather close to Ivy. Harry jumped at bit and moved over to allow Draco to sit between him and Ivy. Draco sat down with his back to the table and rested his elbows on the table, grinning and taking a bite of his apple. "Morning beautiful," he leaned over to Ivy and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Did you tell the crew?"

"Didn't have to. You're talking about Hermione here; she researched last night and found out." Ivy smiled at him. Leaning forward, she placed her hand on his and whispered, "Thank you for the lovely poem. I won't ask how you got it written in Braille like that."

Grinning, he sighed at the feel of her breath against his ear. "Thank you for the ring. It's perfect," he whispered back. She smiled and leaned back to her original position.

"So, you know about the bond, huh? What do you think?" he asked the others, turning his head over his shoulder to look at them.

"Well, we don't know much about them, only the major stuff like death." Harry began. "Somehow, I always knew you two would be together."

"So, how does this work?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Well, basically, we are now married. When a bond takes place, it's unbreakable. If we deny it, then we die. We have to seal the bond within a year and conceive a child within two years." Draco said with a shrug, as if it wasn't the most important thing in his life at the moment. He could barely take his eyes off of Ivy's face. Harry chuckled, taking another bite of his food.

Just then, the owls came swooping in finding their recipient. One landing in front of Draco, he found a package attached and removed it. Curiously, he opened the box and found a ring inside with a note attached to it.

_'My dearest son,_

_This belonged to your great-great-great grandmother and has been passed down through the family. I thought you might like to give it to your new bride._

_Mother'_

Draco smiled and pulled the ring out. Leaning over, he pulled Ivy's left hand over to him and placed the ring on her finger. It wrapped itself around her finger and glowed, shrinking to fit. From the glow, he knew it was the right thing to do. The ring itself was a simple golden band that was ringed with red rubies. Ivy ran her fingers over the ring and smiled. "It's lovely," she said.

Draco kissed her fingers and let go of her hand. "How about some fun in the snow? What say you all?" he asked.

The group nodded and got up to get changed into their heavy winter cloaks and gloves. Ivy hunted for her gloves and couldn't find them. She told Hermione and Ginny to go on without her that she would catch up. Searching, she finally found the gloves inside her trunk. Pulling them on, she latched on to Timber's harness handle. Making her way to the top of the stairs, she heard a noise behind her. Turning slightly, she caught a scent of cold and raspberries. She only knew one person who had that scent, Pansy. Turning back forward, she started to take the first step when a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her around.

"You can't have him, you know. He's mine and always will be." Pansy hissed at her.

"I don't believe that you have any choice in the matter." Ivy said, trying to turn back around to leave.

"You made that bond happen, I know you did. You couldn't stand the fact that he asked me to the dance and not you." Pansy laughed.

"No one can make bonds happen. They are magical bonds, they are man-made. And for your information, he asked me to the dance first, but I was already going with someone, so he settled for you." Ivy said, jerking her arm away from Pansy's grasp. She smelled some familiar scents and knew that some friend were nearby. The jerking motion caused her to lose her balance. She began toppling backwards towards the stairs.

"Arresto Momentum." She heard McGonagall call out and felt herself stop falling. A hand wrapped around her wrist and pulled her back forward and helped her steady herself. The familiar touch was Professor Snape.

"I assume you have a good reason for almost causing Miss Mitchell to fall down the stairs, Miss Parkinson." He sneered at her.

"I – I – well, I…" Pansy stammered.

"Save it. I don't want to hear lies. Just go, I will deal out your punishment later." He told her. "Are you okay, Ivy?" he asked, turning to the girl who had stolen many hearts, including his own.

"Yes, sir, I'm fine." She answered.

"How about you let us help you down the stairs?" Professor McGonagall offered.

"No, really, it's fine. I can make it on my own. Thanks." Ivy said and turned to find the stairs once again. She made it down the stairs and through the Great Hall. On the steps outside the entrance, she was engulfed in his arms.

"I was so worried. I was just coming to get you. Pansy came running out here saying that you had fallen down the stairs and was blaming it on her." Draco said, hugging her.

"That's not entirely true. Pansy accosted me at the top of the stairs, claiming that I set up this bond somehow. I jerked my arm away from her and lost my balance. I would have fallen if Professor McGonagall hadn't been there to stop me. I'm fine, though. Pansy a bit jealous, I think." Ivy explained to him.

"I suppose I did just leave her hanging last night. It couldn't be helped, though." He replied and led her towards the group waiting for them. They all began to walk through the newly fallen snow and enjoy being together. Ivy's hand was firmly secured inside Draco's, who wouldn't let go if his life depended on it. This bond was making itself known rather quickly. He already found it difficult to be away from her. Not realizing that she had grabbed a handful of snow, he suddenly found himself with a face full of the stuff. She laughed and took off running with Timber keeping pace beside her, making sure she didn't fall. Draco ran after her, "Oh, you'll pay for that." He laughed. He caught her easily and they tumbled to the ground in a tangle of legs and robes. Timber whined nearby as they laughed. Draco picked up some snow and threw it into her face gently, not wanting to hurt her. Laughing more, he helped her wipe the snow off her eyes and nose. When it came to her lips, he decided that kissing them would be more enjoyable than wiping them off, so he did just that. Leaning down he framed her face and kissed her slowly, gently, savoring the taste and feel of them.

"Oi! Get a room you two!" Ron yelled.

Laughing, Draco pulled away from her sweet lips, "Jealous, Weasley?" he asked. Standing, he pulled Ivy up to stand beside him, helping her brush off the snow. The friends then engaged in a snowball fight, causing shrieks and laughter to ring out over the castle grounds. After several hours of playing outside, they tromped back inside to change for dinner. They had all skipped lunch and were now properly starving. Draco rushed through changing and then took the stairs two and three at a time to Gryffindor tower to meet up with Ivy. He didn't want any more incidents of her almost falling down the stairs. Ivy was pleasantly surprised to find him waiting at the top of the stairs for her. It was beginning to hurt to be away from him for any length of time, she wondered if it was the same for him. Just the small contact of their hands made them both sigh. They made their way to the Great Hall for the Christmas feast, all sitting at the Gryffindor table.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Dumbledore watched them together, already needing to have contact with each other. He wondered how long before he would need to open the married students dorm rooms. It was refreshing to see young love, but it troubled him that they were so young and now expected to act in an adult way. He had watched them outside earlier and knew that they were still just children. He hated that this fate was robbing them of their childhood. In a way, he also knew that the two in question could handle it. They could handle being pushed into adulthood early.

After dinner, they all straggled out to their dorms to sleep. Draco walked Ivy to her dorm and repeating the night before, pushed her against the wall and kissed her. His kiss held an urgency that it hadn't before. "I don't want to leave you, but I don't know what else to do," he groaned into her hair after releasing her lips.

"I know. I don't want you to go." She whispered. Finally, after several longs minutes, he let her go and helped her through the portrait door. Turning to leave, he felt her hand on his shirt collar, pulling him in after her. He had never been in the Gryffindor common room before. It wasn't much different from his own, just different colors. Pulling him with her, she sat down on the couch and wrapped her arms around his neck. He smiled and kissed her again, knowing that now was not the time to take it further, but wanting to feel her against him. Reluctantly they pulled apart and he settled in to the corner of the couch, pulling her towards him to nestle in the curve of his body. Soon, she was asleep and he marveled at how beautiful she was. Closing his eyes, he drifted off to sleep as well.

"Bloody hell, this is not a scene I really wanted to wake up to see." Harry yelled from the bottom of the stairway, smiling, truly happy for his best friend.

"Oh, bugger off, Harry. We were just sleeping." Ivy growled at him with a yawn. She had slept peacefully and hoped that Draco had, too. He stirred beside her, feeling her warmth leave his side. Opening his eyes, he saw her looking at him and smiled. He could get used to this, waking up beside her every day. The day went much the same as before. Except that now, Ivy and Draco kept touching even when they weren't conscious of doing so. The more days that passed, the more that touch became a need. They either spent nights in one common room or the other, neither caring which, as long as they could be together.

Classes started back up and they were separated for hours at a time, which literally hurt. Ivy would be close to tears by the end of class and then he would show up and the sun would come back out in her life. They began to cope with being away from each other, barely. They did it only because they had to. Draco began planning a Valentine's Day event for Ivy. He wanted to show her how much he loved her and was working out how to do it. On the day before, in the two hour long potions class, he noticed Pansy spending an inordinate amount of time in front of the store cupboard where Professor Snape kept all the potion supplies. He shook it off as her having a hard time finding what she needed. Ivy had already gathered her supplies and was beginning to mix her potion. He stepped to the cupboard and immediately noticed a problem. The labels were wrong. He always felt the bumps on the labels to make sure that Ivy was getting the right thing, but today the bumps were all wrong. The written words were fine, but the Braille part was wrong, someone had changed them. He then realized what Pansy had been doing for so long in front of the cupboard.

Just as he turned to shout to Ivy not to use the ingredients she had gotten a loud explosion occurred. Ivy flew across the room as flames and smoke shot up from her cauldron. She was blasted into the wall, causing pieces of it to fall down on top of her as she slid to the floor, unconscious. Draco ran to her through the smoke as Professor Snape put the flames out in what was left of her cauldron. Arriving at her side, Draco began pulling pieces of rock off of her limp body, tears falling unnoticed from his eyes. Harry joined him in pulling the debris aside. Professor Snape ordered the rest of the class to the front of the room and told them that no one was permitted to leave. He sealed the door with his wand so that they didn't attempt to leave without his consent. He was angry, how could this have happened. Someone had done something, and he was determined to find out.

Draco took Ivy's hand and felt around her wrist. Faintly, very faintly, he felt the throbbing there indicating that she still had a pulse. Snape arrived at her side, waving his wand over her and muttering incantations to find out what was wrong. As he was doing this, Draco stood and charged Pansy. "How dare you? I know you changed those labels, knowing that was the only way she would be able to tell what the ingredients were. Are you such a selfish witch that you would hurt an innocent girl because you think she doesn't deserve me? Well, you're wrong, Pansy, wrong. I'm the one who doesn't deserve her. And you… well, you are nothing to me." Pointing his finger in her face, he jerked it aside and then went back to Ivy.

"She did what?" Harry whispered as Snape conjured a stretcher and placed Ivy on it gingerly.

"You heard what I said, Harry. She changed the labels so that Ivy would get the wrong things to put in the potion." Draco stated and stood, still holding Ivy's hand.

"Potter, help Draco take Ivy to the hospital wing while I deal with Miss Parkinson. Granger, run and get Professor Dumbledore." Snape said with a wave of his wand releasing the seal on the door as he made his way to the students in the front of the classroom.

Draco and Harry magically levitated the stretcher carrying Ivy and made their way out of the room and down the corridor to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey saw them coming and held open the door for them to enter. "Put her here," she said as she went to get her supplies. Using her wand to diagnose Ivy, she clucked her tongue and pursed her lips. "What has been done to you, little one?" she asked to no one in particular.

"She was blasted into the wall by an explosion in her cauldron." Draco said softly, not wanting to disturb the healer. She shook her head and muttered about children making dangerous potions. Before Draco could tell her what happened, Professor Snape and Dumbledore entered.

"Poppy, do you have a diagnosis?" Dumbledore asked.

Shaking her head again, "This needs higher medicine then I'm prepared for. She needs to go to St. Mungos." She said quietly.

"Very well. I'll take her." He said, stepping forward to pick her up and make his way to the fireplace. Glancing up, he saw the fear in Draco's eyes. "You may come too, Mr. Malfoy. She is your wife." Stepping in to the fireplace, he said his destination and vanished into the green flames. Draco followed without a backward glance at the others in the room.

In the stark white hall of the hospital, Draco paced outside a closed door. The healers refused to let him remain in the room while they worked on Ivy. Dumbledore sat in the seat provided for him, watching the young boy. "You really love her, don't you?"

Draco stopped pacing and stared at the older man, "How could I not? It even started before this blasted bonding thing. I don't know if you've noticed but the bond is becoming stronger. We can hardly bear to be apart for long than a few minutes. Nights are spent in one common room or the other, sleeping on the couch, holding each other. It's torture being away from each other for classes. Now this, I can't bear it. She's in there and I'm out here, it hurts," he said, tears spilling from his eyes.

"I didn't realize that the bond was getting stronger already. I should have, and I'm sorry. I will open up the married students' dorm for you when I get back. Your teachers will be informed that you will be staying here until she comes home." The headmaster said.

Draco nodded and began pacing again. Running his hands through his hair, he let out a huge aggravated sigh, looking at the door, willing it to open. Footsteps were heard in the hallway behind him and he was enveloped into his mother's arms. "Oh, Draco. We came as soon as Severus told us. How is she?" she said.

Draco began to cry even harder, now that his mother was holding him. "I still don't know anything. They won't let me in there." He sobbed into her shoulder.

Taking in his son's disheveled appearance made Lucius realize how stupid he was being about this bond his son had. "What happened?" he asked softly.

Severus looked over at Draco who looked as though he wouldn't be able to speak for a while, and took a breath, "I set Amorentia today for potions. They were in a two hour block, so they had plenty of time. Normally, Ivy goes first to get her ingredients from the store cupboard, since she has to feel the labels and not just look at them. Well, today, someone jumped in front of her and took a long amount of time getting her things. She kept glancing over her shoulder, but I really didn't think anything of it. She finished, and then Ivy got her things. She began the potion while Draco went up to get his things from the cupboard. They were sharing a table, have been for a while now. He always feels the labels just like Ivy does. He had McGonagall teach him to read Braille. So, as he felt the labels, he noticed that something wasn't right. The Braille didn't match the ingredient. He turned to yell at Ivy not to put anything in the cauldron, but he was too late. Right then, she put in something and it exploded in her face, throwing her across the room and into the wall. I don't know exactly what she put in yet, as everything was blown to pieces, but I will find out."

"Do you know who it was?" Lucius said through gritted teeth.

"Yes, and she is being held at the school until the headmaster returns to decide her fate." Snape told him. Draco's sobs were subsiding, in the comfort of his mother's arms. The door behind them opened, causing Draco to jerk away from his mother.

"How is she? Can I see her?" he asked hurriedly.

"Calm down, she's resting for now and I think we shouldn't disturb her." The healer said.

"Let me in there, you prick." Draco growled.

The healer's eyes grew wide at being called that by a teenager. Narcissa held on to Draco's arm. "There's been a bond, David. The two youngsters are bonded now. It's becoming very strong; you can't keep him from her." Dumbledore spoke up.

The healer nodded, "Very well, at least let me tell you what's going on first." When Draco calmed down a bit, he continued. "She has a very serious head injury. There were bits of cauldron stuck in her torso, but that's been taken care of and healed. Her head is a different matter. When she hit the wall, her skull cracked, and then the debris falling on top of her made it worse. We can't heal the brain with magic; it's just not something we've ever been able to do. We have healed the crack in her skull, but there's no way to know if there's been any damage to her brain until she wakes up, and I can't give you a time frame on that. She will wake up eventually, though, I'm certain of that." He said and stepped to the side for them to enter.

Draco put his hand on the doorknob and stopped, turning his head slightly, he said, "Thank you," and then opened the door. Stepping into the room, his mother and father behind him, he saw a curtain drawn around a bed on the opposite side of the private room. Cautiously he walked over and moved the curtain back. Taking in a sharp breath, he moved to the bedside and grasped Ivy's hand. She was so pale, and her lovely hair was gone.

"We had to remove her hair to heal her skull. There was no other way. It won't take long to grow it back." The healer said quietly.

Draco didn't care; he loved her no matter what. He leaned down to kiss her lightly on the cheek. A small glow appeared at the contact of his lips on her skin. The healer took in a breath and knew that what Dumbledore had said was true. They had a magical bond. Draco reached up his left hand to the side of her face and turning his hand palm up, skimmed his finger down her cheek, stroking her face lovingly. He didn't care who else was in the room, he was here with her and he wasn't leaving. His mother stood beside him, not knowing what to do to help comfort him. He seemed better now that he was able to be with her.

"Severus, we need to have the married students' dorm opened up for them when they return and also make arrangements for someone to come here to bring Draco his schoolwork and help him with it." Dumbledore spoke softly to the potions master.

Snape nodded, and with a last glance at Ivy turned to go back to the school to start the arrangements. Dumbledore followed behind him. The door clicked closed as they left. Lucius, worried for his son and, dare he say it, daughter-in-law, drew up a chair for Draco to sit in. He knew that his son wouldn't leave her side for anything other than a trip to the loo, and that would be few and far between. Draco sat down, still clutching Ivy's cold hand, willing his warmth to seep into her, willing her to know that he was there. Lucius touched his wife on the arm, gesturing with his head that they should leave. She nodded and bent over Draco to kiss his cheek.

"We'll be back later, son." She whispered to him.

Draco nodded absently, not taking his eyes off of the still figure of the girl he loved. He sat back in the chair, trying to relax and get comfortable. He leaned his head back in the seat and realized how exhausted he was. It had been a very emotional few hours and he fell asleep almost instantly. Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months, but still she didn't wake. Draco talked to her, kissed her, held her, and told her everything in his heart and everything that was going on. Professor Snape would come once a week to give him his lessons. Her hair began to grow back out and he knew that when she woke, it would magically lengthen to her liking. It was a different color, though. It had been a soft brown, now it was becoming a vibrant red, almost like flames.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Soon, the end of school arrived and Draco knew that all his friends were making their way home on the train. He was trying to convince the healers to allow him to take Ivy home. Hoping that at the Manor, she would be more comfortable and feel more loved and wake up. Finally, after a week of pleading, the Healer David agreed to him taking her home. His parents visited every day and when they arrived, he told them his plans. They packed up her things and with the assistance of a few healers, flooed home with Ivy. No questions were asked when he carried her to his room and placed her gently on his bed. Pulling the covers over her, he rounded the bed and sat down on the other side beside her. His father brought her things into the room, with his mother following. They put her things away in an extra chest of drawers that was brought in. He loved seeing her clothes hanging next to his in the closet. He loved the feeling of her in his home, even if she wasn't awake.

Two weeks after arriving at the Manor, Draco was sitting in the chair by the bed, he head leaning back, his eyes closed. Ivy opened her eyes cautiously, not sure why. She knew that everything would still be dark. However, when she cracked one eye open, she saw light. Slowly opening both eyes, she saw things, actually saw things. The first thing she saw was a boy sitting in the chair, seemingly asleep. Behind him, a curtain fluttered in the breeze from the open window. Bringing her gaze back to the boy in the chair, she looked at him. Oh, she knew exactly who he was; the smell of vanilla and apples lingered in the air. She knew that he was her Draco. She felt safe in his presence, even though he seemed so far away right now. She took in his white blonde hair and his relaxed posture. He was comfortable here in this place. Where was she, exactly? His left ankle rested on top of his right knee, his head rested on the back of the chair. His hands were linked over his stomach. He looked almost peaceful. She shifted and raised herself up on her left elbow, placing her hand on her head.

Hearing a rustling sound, Draco jerked his head up and stared at the girl lying in his bed. She was looking back at him, no longer a vacant look in her eyes. She was actually looking at him. Jumping up, happy to see her awake, he didn't care that she was looking at him. All his insecurities were forgotten. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed.

"Can't breathe Draco." She laughed softly.

"Oh, sorry. It's just been so long since the explosion. I was afraid that you would never wake up." Draco whispered in to her hair, letting up on the squeezing, but not taking his arms away from her. He pressed a kiss to her hair and sighed.

"How long?" she asked.

"Six months. Six long months," he answered.

She leaned back, laying on the pillow again, and breathed out the breath she was holding. "So, what happened after the explosion?"

Draco withdrew for a moment and stuck his head out the door to call for his mother. He came back to the bed and sat down beside Ivy again. His mother appeared a moment later and was surprised to see Ivy awake. "I'll get the healer," was all she said as she disappeared again.

"You had a very serious head injury from hitting the wall. The healer wasn't sure if there would be any brain damage or not. You were taken to St. Mungos, where you spent the time up until two weeks ago, when I brought you here. I'm curious as to why you can see now when you couldn't before," he explained. His mother and the healer entered the room.

"So, you finally decided to wake up." The healer said. He took out his wand and began examining her. "Hmm… everything seems to be in order. No damage to the brain at all."

"Except one thing, sir," Draco spoke up in the silence. "She was blind and now she's not."

The healer looked up at Ivy as Narcissa gasped. "Well now, that's interesting. Wonder why that is?" he spoke, thinking.

Ivy sighed, leaning back into the pillow more. "Well, possibly because it was a head injury that caused the blindness in the first place." She looked up and saw that they were all staring at her. "I know it's hard to believe, but I do remember everything from the moment of my birth until now. It's odd, I know, but it's true. When I was born, my mother died during the birth and my father followed her a week later due to his broken heart from losing my mother. I was given to a foster family who, well, I'm not sure why they wanted to take in children; they didn't like us at all. It was not a nice home. It started with just a pop or smack, but it escalated quickly. When I was a year and a half, I woke up in the hospital, after being unconscious for several months. A serious head injury, plus all kinds of minor things, and I had lost my sight. They said that it was temporary, but it turned out to be for longer than they expected." She explained.

"Well, that would explain why a head injury caused your sight to come back." The healer stated.

Draco put his arm around Ivy's shoulders and rubbed her arm reassuringly. There was silence in the room, "I was then put into the orphanage, where it wasn't a loving place, but there was never anything physical." Ivy added.

The healer finished his exam of her, "Looks like you are fully healed. How about we try the muscle memory? Can you stand for me?"

Ivy nodded and threw back the covers to reveal herself in a white nightgown. Wondering where it came from, she put her feet on the floor and slowly stood. Draco rushed around the bed to her side, the help support her as she stood for the first time in six months. Holding on to his arm, she stood on shaky legs. Taking a few moments, she got her balance and then put one foot forward to take a step. Taking a few more steps, she slowly made her way to the other side of the room. Turning, she walked back to the bed, her legs getting stronger with each step. Smiling, she sat down on the side of the bed, and looked up at the faces in the room. Seeing smiles on their faces, she felt loved and wanted.

The next day, Harry, Ron, and Hermione stopped by for a visit to find her up and about, having meals at the table with the rest of the family. She was getting stronger and was loving being able to see everything. She didn't know where to look first, everything was so colorful, including her hair. When she had woken up, her hair had lengthened magically and it now hung in ringlets past her shoulders. The color had turned to a true red (not a ginger, but actual red). She liked it, and apparently so did Draco.

That night at dinner, "So, Ivy, when is your birthday?" Lucius asked.

"August 5th." She replied.

"Just a few days from now, then. What would you like to do for your birthday?" he asked.

"Oh, wow. I've never actually celebrated my birthday before. I wouldn't know what to do." She answered blushing slightly.

"Well then, I guess we will just have to surprise you." Narcissa said with a sly smile and a wink at Draco. They would plan later after she had gone to sleep for the night.

The morning of her birthday, Ivy awoke to the smell of French toast with syrup and fresh orange juice. Opening her eyes, she saw Draco standing by the bed with a tray of food; a single rose held in between his teeth. Sitting up she smiled at him and he placed the tray over her lap. Handing her the rose, he knelt beside her on the bed and kissed the top of her head. "Happy Birthday, love," he said and smiled at her.

Ivy smiled, "Thank you." She looked at the tray and began to eat as he watched. He loved watching her, the way she moved was so fluid, almost like a dance.

When she had finished, "Now, a relaxing day doing whatever you wish. Take a walk, take a swim, go shopping, whatever you want to do, we will go do it," he told her as he whisked the tray away and placed it at the door.

"A walk with you would be nice." She said to him with a shy smile.

"Well, okay then, let's go." Draco offered his hand to her and helped her out of bed. Instead of releasing her, though, he pulled her into a kiss that caused her to sigh and melt into him. Letting her go, he ushered her to the closet to get dressed and then left the room to give her privacy. Taking the tray with him, he met his mother downstairs. "We're going for a walk."

"Oh, that's nice dear. Everything is set for tonight. Guests will be arriving at 6." Narcissa told her son. They had decided that a party was the way to go for celebrating Ivy's birthday. It would be a surprise for her. Lucius and Narcissa had accepted her as their son's wife and were treating her like family. Even though they were young, Draco and Ivy were still bonded in the magical world and that was sacred to all witches and wizards.

Ivy came down the stairs dressed in a skirt that came just above her knees and a white button-down shirt. Her feet were bare as she loved the feel of the well-manicured grass between her toes. Draco joined her at the bottom of the stairs and led her to the dining room. They spoke with Narcissa for a few minutes before heading out for their walk. She was gaining strength again, and the walks helped, but she still needed to rest in the middle of the day.

"I just love the way the sky looks, with the clouds and birds flying through it." She said, laying her head on Draco's shoulder as they walked.

"I know what you mean. I've always taken for granted the things I see every day. Now that I'm here with you, I see things differently, like the first time seeing them." He told her.

Ivy smiled and they walked on, hands linked together, looking at each other occasionally. When they reached the lake, Draco turned to her and put his free hand up to her face and pulled her forward to kiss her sweet lips. He would never get enough of those lips. Turning back, they slowly walked side by side to the Manor. Inside, they had a late lunch with Narcissa, Lucius being at work. Draco then insisted that she take her rest upstairs in the bed. Reluctantly, Ivy agreed and left to go upstairs. Draco and his mother began setting up for the party. At 6 that evening, the guests arrived, Harry, Ron, and Hermione among them. Draco went upstairs to bring Ivy down, and found her standing in front of the closet, staring at all the clothes.

"I don't know what to wear to dinner. There are so many beautiful choices in here." She said when he stepped up behind her and put his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.

"Well, how about this dress?" he suggested, pulling out an emerald green dress that flowed around her legs when she walked. Pulling out heels to go with it, he laid it on the bed and left her to dress. Moments later, she opened the door, dressed and ready to go down for dinner. He offered her his arm and led her down the stairs to the dining room, where everyone was waiting for her to arrive.

Stepping into the room, Ivy first saw Harry and then looking around saw more people she knew and even more she didn't recognize. "Surprise! Happy Birthday!" they all shouted.

Ivy stood, gaping at them. This was a party… for her. She couldn't believe it. Draco had planned this party for her. Slowly, a smile formed on her lips and she turned to Draco at her side. Reaching up, she gave him a quick kiss and made her way around the room, thanking everyone for coming. As she talked to people, she began to recognize who they were. Mostly kids from school, some professors, all here for her. She enjoyed being with her friends and accepted their wishes with grace. Draco was never far away, and she felt loved and safe here in his home. The party lasted for hours, but finally began to die down. Ivy was exhausted; she didn't realize how much she still needed to rest to heal. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Professor Snape, Dumbledore and McGonagall were the last ones to leave when Draco took Ivy up to bed for the night.

Stepping into the room, they both felt a slight electric charge. Looking at each other, they knew that it was time; time for them to seal their bond. Draco stepped closer to her, not breaking eye contact. He had been told what to do in this situation, but had never done it before, so he was nervous. Looking into her eyes, though, he knew that no matter what it would be okay. Raising both hands to her face, he pulled her to him and kissed her lips passionately. She began to tremble slightly and he lowered his arms to wrap around her slender waist. Pulling away, "Trust me not to hurt you. This is a first for us both," he whispered. He ran his hands up her back and found the zipper to the dress. Sliding it down, he removed it and let it pool in the floor at her feet. Bending down, he removed her shoes and the rest of her clothing slowly, leaving her naked in front of him. Standing back up, he put a hand on the back of her head and kissed her again as he began to slowly lay her down on the bed. He removed his own clothing and joined her under the covers. Slowly and patiently, he explored her body and she explored his.

As they became one together, the earth shifted and magic exploded around them. Breathing heavily, they held each other and knew that they were now linked for eternity, nothing could break their bond.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Lucius asked, standing by his own bed. At the Burrow, Harry was saying the same thing to Ron. Dumbledore smiled in his office when he felt the earth shift and Severus closed the book he was reading and sighed.

"I think they just sealed the bond, dear. Come back to bed." Narcissa said. "We can find out tomorrow." Lucius looked over at his wife and then climbed back into bed next to her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's note:**** The song is courtesy of Lonestar 'Amazed'. I have no claims to it.**

**Chapter 10**

Draco and Ivy drifted off to sleep, holding each other, skin touching skin. The next morning, they were awakened by the birds chirping in the trees outside and smiled to each other, remembering the beauty of the night before. Getting up, they showered together and got ready for the day. Venturing downstairs, they met up with Lucius and Narcissa in the dining room having breakfast. Sitting down, an uneasy silence hung over the room.

Unable to take it any longer, "You sealed the bond last night, didn't you?" Lucius spoke.

"Lucius! We agreed not to bring it up." Narcissa exclaimed, smacking her hand down on the table.

Draco dropped his head, both he and Ivy turning red. "Does everyone know?" he whispered.

"No. Everyone knows that the earth shifted last night. It was felt the world over, muggles and magical alike felt it. Only those of us in this room and Severus know what that shift was. The shift was due to the magical energy you produced when the bond was sealed. This is an indication of exactly how powerful your bond is." Dumbledore spoke, stepping into the room from the fireplace.

Draco turned to him, staring. "What does that mean?" he asked.

"Well, it means that the two of you together will be more powerful than any witch or wizard has ever seen. It also means that any children you have will be extremely powerful on their own. Your little family will change the magical world, and possibly the muggle world." The headmaster stated.

Ivy and Draco both stared at him, shocked. He was telling them that they were the most powerful couple in the magical world. Everyone gaped at him, not really knowing what to say.

"I brought your letters, instead of sending them by owl. The married students' dorm will be opened to you. You will find it almost impossible to be away from each other now that the bond has sealed. You will find the need to be touching at all times when you are together. Your classes will be changed. Draco's schedule has been modified to Ivy's, that way you are in classes together and your professors understand the situation and will place you together for group work." Dumbledore explained and handed the two their letters. They accepted them and he turned to leave. "Remember if you have any questions, just ask. I'm always available."

"Wait, I do have a question. About the second part of the bonding thing, where we have to conceive a child, is that two years after the initial bonding, or two years after the sealing of the bond?" Draco spoke up in the silence.

"Well, it's two years from the initial bonding. To make it all official, you should hold a wedding soon. As for you unasked question, the answer is no, everyone will not know every time." The headmaster said and stepped into the fireplace.

"Oh, I never thought of holding a wedding. I guess we should, just to make everything legal in the eyes of the ministry. Although, they can't deny the magical bond." Narcissa spoke, eyes shining. She loved a good wedding. "We shall do it before you leave for school.

"That's awfully quick, Cissa, don't you think?" Lucius said.

"Oh, well, that's what makes it so exciting." She replied. Ivy and Draco looked at each other and Draco rolled his eyes.

"There will be no stopping her now." Draco whispered.

Lucius nodded at them and they all left the table. After lunch, Narcissa came to the two youngsters, "Let's go to get your school things. We will also look for a dress for you, Ivy."

"But…" Ivy began, only to be greeted with the back of Narcissa as she turned and headed back downstairs.

"Don't bother. You can't stop her now. She's on a mission." Draco told her. "Let's go." Offering her his hand, they walked down the stairs together. They apparated to Diagon Alley with Narcissa and Lucius to do their shopping. After getting their school supplies, Lucius took Draco home, while Narcissa took Ivy to the dress shop. Madam Malkin rushed to their aide as Narcissa told her what they were looking for, a wedding dress for Ivy.

A measuring tape appeared and began taking Ivy's measurements for the dress, a parchment and quill hovered nearby recording the numbers. "Something strapless, I think, gathered at the waist, flowing down around the floor, a train as well." The seamstress was muttering to herself. "I will whip something up that will make you stunning, dear. Now, when is the wedding?" she asked.

"A week from today," Narcissa replied.

Ivy gaped at her, "A week. That's not enough time."

"Sure it is, dear. Everything is already taken care of. The invitations are out, the catering is ordered, the flowers are being done now, everything is going great." The older woman said with a smile. "Now, your dress is getting ready and all we have to do is get the binding ropes and the officiator." She took Ivy's arm and apparated them back to the Manor.

"Find what you want?" Lucius greeted his wife with a kiss on the cheek.

"Madam Malkin is making it as we speak. It's going to be a lovely wedding." She answered.

Plans for the wedding were quickly being set. It made Ivy's head spin to think of everything happening so fast. Draco seemed to be taking it all in stride, nothing seemed to bother him. The wedding day was soon upon them. Draco wasn't allowed to see Ivy before the wedding, which caused him and her alike to be in pain. They endured it, though, knowing that it was only for a few hours and afterwards they would be together forever.

The time came and Draco stood in the garden of the Manor under an archway covered in flowers and vines. His father and Harry were standing with him, waiting for Ivy to arrive. The music began and the backdoor opened. He saw Severus first, and then he saw her. She looked stunning in the strapless dress with the train flowing behind her. She took Severus' arm and they began the walk down the white cloth aisle that was scattered with rose petals. Draco couldn't take his eyes off of her. He never thought he would be this lucky. He was 15 years old and marrying the girl of his dreams. After what seemed like an eternity, she arrived at his side, and he was taking her hand from Severus. The officiator began the ceremony.

"Draco, you may speak your vows." He said.

"I promise to love you and protect you for all of my days until my eyes close in death. I promise to give you everything you desire. The more days that pass, the more my love for you grows. I am amazed that I was chosen to be your soul mate by the magical bond. I couldn't ask for better." Draco spoke in a strong voice.

"Ivy, you may speak your vows."

Ivy began in a whisper, "I promise to love you until my eyes close in death. I promise to give you anything you desire. I love you more and more each day and can't believe that I was lucky enough to be chosen as your soul mate. I've always dreamed of being loved and having a family, and now it seems that dream is coming true. You make all my dreams come true, Draco."

"If the parents will step forward with the binding rope." The officiator said.

Lucius and Narcissa stepped forward behind Draco, while Severus and Minerva stepped forward behind Ivy. They placed the rope on Draco and Ivy's linked hands, wrapping it over them. "We promise to support you in your marriage and your life. This bond that was formed months ago is stronger than any marriage could ever hope to be. We agree to help you in the days to come until you are out on your own. Your love will last until the end of days and will be spoken of long after you have left this earth." Lucius said, and the others agreed. They stepped back to their places.

Draco and Ivy never took their eyes off of each other throughout the ceremony. The officiator spoke again, "By the power of magic and all that is holy, I pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss your bride, Draco."

Draco placed his right hand on her cheek, caressing it as he leaned in to kiss her soft lips in a tender kiss. He pulled away reluctantly as he heard the sound of cheering. They turned and made their way down the aisle and into the house for the reception.

Inside, the house had been turned into a dream. A long table sat off to the side with finger foods on it and a huge 5 tiered white wedding cake with a plastic couple on top that were charmed to dance. The open floor was for dancing and the décor was beautiful. Everyone assembled in the room and waited for Draco and Ivy to enter after having a few pictures made. Draco led Ivy by the hand into the house and out onto the dance floor. He put his hand on her waist and took her hand in his other. The music began and they slowly danced, looking into each other's eyes.

**_Every time our eyes meet  
This feeling inside me  
Is almost more than I can take  
Baby when you touch me  
I can feel how much you love me  
And it just blows me away  
I've never been this close to anyone,  
Or anything  
I can hear your thoughts, I can see your dreams_**

[Chorus]  
I don't know how you do what you do  
I'm so in love with you  
It just keeps getting better  
I want to spend the rest of my life,  
with you by my side  
Forever and ever  
Every little thing that you do,  
Baby I'm amazed by you.

The smell of your skin,  
The taste of your kiss,  
The way you whisper in the dark.  
Your hair all around me,  
Baby you surround me  
Touch every place in my heart  
And it feels like the first time  
Every time.  
I want to spend the whole night  
In your eyes

The song ended and they turned to face their family and friends. "We want to thank you for helping us celebrate our union. Please, feel free to dance and help yourself to refreshments." Draco said and led Ivy over to the cake. They sliced the cake as the music began again. Rounding the room, they talked with everyone there, accepting their congratulations and good wishes. Promising to see those in school in a few weeks, and always smiling.

"So, Draco, taking away my best friend. I'm not sure how to react to that." Harry said, smiling.

"Oh, Harry, you know that's not true. You are gaining a new friend, instead of losing me." Ivy spoke.

Harry grinned and she knew that he was joking. Wrapping his arms around her, he hugged her. "I'm glad to see you happy, Ivy."

"Hey, that's my wife you've got your arms around." Draco said good-naturedly. Harry pulled away and slapped Draco on the back, then moved over to Hermione, Ron and the rest of the Weasley family.

The festivities continued well into the night. Lucius and Narcissa called for attention. "We would like to present our son and his bride with a gift." Handing a set of keys to Draco, "Here are the keys for your new home. You can't live here forever; you need your own space. It's just over the hill, not far from us. As you are a married man now, you deserve a home of your own." He said.

"Wow, father, thanks. This is huge." Draco said, after recovering from gaping at his father and mother.

"And now it is time for the couple to take their leave of us and venture out on their own." Lucius said, ushering the two outside to the apparition point. He was going to take them to a small village outside of Paris and leave them for a few days. Upon returning to the Manor, he noted that the party was still in full swing. He still couldn't get used to having the Weasley family as his acquaintances. Finding his wife, he twirled her out on to the dance floor.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Draco carried Ivy in to the suite of the inn they were staying at under the Eiffel Tower. It was a magical inn, muggles couldn't see it. Setting her back on her feet, they surveyed the room, finding a king sized bed with white lace curtains draped around it. He turned to her and pulled her to him. Wrapping his arms around her, he began to undo the tiny buttons on the back of the dress, cursing Malkin for putting so many. Finally, he was able to push the silk down her body to reveal her beauty to him. Slowly, they took each other to new heights again and again. Breathless, they held on to each other, waiting for their breathing to slow. Falling asleep with a smile, they both knew that their lives couldn't be fuller.

Lucius collected them a few days later, taking them to their new home. Another week and they were on their way back to Hogwarts for another year. Arriving at the platform, they said goodbye to Narcissa and Lucius and got onto the train. Draco never letting go of Ivy's hand, he found an empty compartment, knowing that they would be joined by Harry and crew soon. Sighing, Ivy leaned her head on Draco's shoulder as they waited for the train to leave. It wasn't long before their friends joined them in the compartment and they began talking.

Once at Hogwarts, they walked through the entrance into the Great Hall to be greeted with a different seating arrangement. The long house tables were gone to be replaced with smaller round tables that sat 6 or 8. "Please, sit anywhere you like, we are trying something different this year. Leave the front tables for the first years." Dumbledore spoke from the teacher's table.

They moved into the room and settled down at a table to be joined by Ginny. They watched the sorting ceremony and then listened as Dumbledore explained the new seating in the Great Hall and made a few announcements. He dismissed them to their dorms for the night and McGonagall made her way to Draco and Ivy.

"Follow me and I will take you to your dorm." She said, leaving the Great Hall.

They followed silently, climbing the stairs to the seventh floor. Coming to a stop in front of a painting of a couple dancing, she cleared her throat. "Fiddlefaddle." She said.

The painting opened to reveal a common room. "This is your common room. The room modifies itself to the amount of couples living here. Right now, there will only be the one bedroom for you. As you heard the password, you may now enter the room whenever you wish. This is your home while here at Hogwarts." She stated and then left the room.

Ivy and Draco looked around the common room and then began searching for their bedroom. Finding it, they settled in for the night. Classes began and everyone became interested in how it was that Ivy could see now. She was bombarded with questions in between classes until she finally snapped and yelled at a second year who had asked her the same question she had answered a hundred times already. "What the bloody hell does it matter how I got my sight back? It is back, end of story." She yelled and silence followed.

Draco led her away and into an empty classroom to help her calm down. "I'm just tired of it, Draco. They won't leave me alone." She said, exasperated.

"I know. Hopefully it will die down soon and everyone will leave us alone." He said, gathering her in his arms. They stood that way until the bell rang, signaling time for class.

Christmas break came sooner than they realized. Everyone was going home for the break, including Draco and Ivy. They went to their home and would spend Christmas day with Draco's parents and Severus. On Christmas Eve, as they got ready for bed, they both felt the magic crackling around them. Making love had becoming a normal thing for them and they didn't think twice about it. Turning to each other, they began the journey to new heights. This night, they reached that height together and magic exploded around them, causing the earth to shift, rain to fall from a cloudless sky, the wind to howl, and fire to roll through the sky (not burning anything).

Dumbledore, seeing the signs, knew exactly what had happened. It seemed that the second part of the bond had been fulfilled, although they wouldn't know for several weeks. Severus saw the signs as well, knowing what they meant. Anyone else seeing them would just think it was a freak of nature.

Returning to school, classes began again in earnest. The fifth years were preparing to take their OWL exams, while the seventh years were preparing for NEWTs and graduation. Around mid-February, Ivy had woken up four days in a row to rush to the loo and throw up. She was constantly tired, and just hadn't been feeling well. Making their way to breakfast, Draco pleaded with her to go see Madam Pomfrey. She refused, saying that she was fine. He opened the door to the Great Hall and a waft of air brought with it the smell of food. Ivy covered her mouth and took off running for the loo again. Sighing, Draco rushed behind her. Hermione was coming down the hallway and was almost knocked over by Ivy. Concerned, she followed and found her in the loo, throwing up yet again. She helped Ivy clean herself up and told her to go see Madam Pomfrey. Ivy shook her head.

"I'm afraid that I must insist, Mrs. Malfoy. According to Mr. Malfoy that makes the second time this morning and about the fourth morning in a row. As your guardian still, I insist that you be checked out." Professor McGonagall stated and then ushered Ivy out of the restroom to head towards the hospital. Draco fell into step beside then, saying a thanks to Hermione as he passed her.

In the hospital, Madam Pomfrey had Ivy lie down on a bed. Draco stood beside her, holding her hand. The healer then waved her wand over Ivy to diagnose the problem. When she reached Ivy's abdomen, her wand glowed. "Ah! I see." She said.

"So, what's wrong with her?" Draco asked impatiently.

"It seems that there is a little Malfoy on the way." She replied.

Ivy and Draco both looked shocked. Looking at each other, they remembered back to Christmas Eve and knew that she had conceived that night.

"Seems to be about 6 weeks along, and everything looks good so far. I will give you some potions to take daily to help with the nausea and the tiredness. I will also keep check on you each month for a while." Madam Pomfrey said, leaving the room to gather the potions that they would need.

Professor McGonagall turned to leave the hospital wing to meet with the headmaster and Professor Snape. "Professor, I would like to tell my parents, if that's okay with you." Draco said to her.

"Certainly Mr. Malfoy, we can arrange for them to come here tonight." She told him.

She left and Draco turned back to Ivy, smiling down at his wife. Reaching a trembling hand towards her stomach, he placed his hand on it and tried to imagine his child growing inside of her. He marveled at how life was turning out so well for him. Ivy placed her hand over his on her stomach and smiled up at him. They were going to have a child, she couldn't have been happier.

Making their way to class after taking her first potion, Ivy was bombarded with questioning looks from Harry and Hermione. She waved off their questions for the moment, hoping they would wait until after class. The class being potions didn't allow for much talking. After class, Harry and Hermione ambushed Ivy and Draco in the hallway. "So, what's wrong? Hermione told me you went to see Madam Pomfrey." Harry said.

"Well, Harry, it seems that a little Malfoy is on the way. In about 7 and a half months." Draco told him with a smile.

Hermione squealed with delight, hugging Ivy and then turning to hug Draco. Harry looked stunned, even though they all knew that it was inevitable because of the bond, he still didn't expect it.

That evening after dinner, Draco and Ivy went up to Dumbledore's office to meet with his parents. Lucius and Narcissa were ecstatic that they would have a grandchild soon, and that their son wouldn't die a horrible death for not fulfilling the bond.

Ivy began feeling better since taking the potions and soon, she was showing a little baby bump, too soon in her opinion. She had read in a book that most women didn't start showing until month 5 or 6 and she was only barely into month 3. At her appointment with Madam Pomfrey, she brought up her concerns. "Aren't I a little early to be having a bump already?" she asked.

"Well, I suppose so, let do a quick check and see what's going on in there." The healer said and made Ivy lie down on the bed. Draco always came to the appointments with her and held her hand. He didn't realize that she had these concerns; he just loved seeing the growing bump. He watched as Madam Pomfrey waved her wand over his growing child and furrowed her brow. Well, that doesn't look good. She clucked her tongue and moved away to make a call on the floo network. Returning, she was followed by another healer, a man apparently from St. Mungo's. He moved to Ivy and waved his wand over her belly, pursing his lips in the process. "Oh, dear. Such a young mother to have… well, what can be done…." He stammered, looking over at Madam Pomfrey. She nodded and rushed off to find Dumbledore. He needed to know this.

When she returned, the headmaster placed a hand on Ivy and Draco linked hands. He watched as the healer began another scan. After much silence and many long minutes, Draco had had enough. "What the bloody hell is wrong? Will you just tell us already?" he spoke through clinched teeth.

"It seems that Mrs. Malfoy is pregnant with more than one child." Dumbledore said softly. "According to the scans, there seem to be 4 babies in there." Looking up, he saw the confused look on Draco's face. "Ivy is very young, as you know. Her body is really just beginning to develop. The healer is afraid that her body is not going to adjust well to carrying 4 babies."

"Four? Are you sure? Four?" Draco asked.

"Very sure, Mr. Malfoy. There are four babies. We will need to keep a very close eye on your wife for the next few months, to make sure that her body is adjusting." The healer said. He then released Ivy to return to class and spoke with Madam Pomfrey about the way to proceed.

Draco and Ivy walked dazed back to the Great Hall for lunch. They sat down and were quickly joined by Harry and Hermione. Looking at them, Harry spoke, "Is everything okay?"

"Four. Four… how in the world can there be four?" was all Draco was able to say.

"I'm sorry. Four what?" Hermione asked.

"Four babies. There are four babies in my belly." Ivy spoke. Hermione and Harry gaped at the couple, not sure how to respond to that. "The healers are worried that I might not be able to carry them."

"I'm sure you will do just fine, Ivy. You are a strong woman and witch, you can do anything." Hermione said reassuringly. Harry nodded in agreement.

"Wait until your mother hears this, Draco. She will be over the moon." Ivy said, linking her hand with his.

Draco nodded, still dazed at the news. "I suppose we should call them later."

Dumbledore stopped at their table. "I placed a call to your parents, asking them to meet here after dinner tonight." He continued on to the teachers table at the head of the hall.

After dinner, Draco and Ivy made their way up to Dumbledore's office again to meet with his parents. Severus and Minerva were there as well. When the headmaster announced that there were to be four new Malfoys on the way, silence reigned and then a thump heard as Narcissa fainted. Lucius knelt over her, waving a hand in her face. He was shocked as well by the news. Not only was he going to be a grandfather, but he was going to have four grandchildren if Ivy is able to carry them to term. Looking up at Dumbledore, he asked, "So what are the odds?"

"We aren't sure yet. Not knowing how much her internal body has developed, we can't make any assumptions at this point. Healer Davis is concerned and wants to look in on Ivy a few times a week." The headmaster replied. He had a suspicion of why there were four children on the way. It had a lot to do with the happenings when the bond was sealed and the children conceived. Nothing like that had ever happened before to his knowledge.

Draco led Ivy back to their room and held her gently, afraid to hurt her. She laughed and pulled him closer, "I'm not going to break, Draco. I'm only pregnant."

"I know, it's just that we were only planning on one, and now there are four. How are we going to handle this?" he asked, placing a soft kiss to her temple.

"Just like we handle everything else, together we can do anything." She replied and kissed him. They fell asleep in each other's arms.

Everything seemed to be going fine with the pregnancy, and even though she was getting much bigger than she should, her studies were going great. When she was around 6 months in to the pregnancy, she awoke one more to pain in her abdomen. Waking Draco, she told him that she needed to get to the hospital. This pain was not normal, and somehow she knew something was wrong. Madam Pomfrey came to her side right away and then rushed off to call Healer Davis. He arrived and began a scan on Ivy's burgeoning belly. "Hmm… that's odd. There's no way they are ready, it's only been 6 months." He muttered.

"What do you mean?" Ivy asked.

"It seems that these babies are wanting out, whether it's time or not." He told her as her face scrunched up in pain. Another wave of pain was crossing her back and belly. Ivy gripped Draco's hand tightly. "We need to move you to St. Mungo's. There's no way to stop it now. The labor is progressing too quickly. Poppy, notify the headmaster." He said, stepping over to the fireplace. Draco picked Ivy up and followed him.

They arrived at the hospital and the healer ushered them into a room, yelling for his team to meet him there pronto. Ivy was now racked with pain that wasn't subsiding at all. It felt like the babies were trying to claw their way out. Draco gently laid her on the bed and grasped her hand again, worried. Seeing her in pain was causing him pain.

Ivy bit her lip to keep from screaming, the pain was unbearable, but she wouldn't allow herself to scream. Healer Davis was yelling enough for the both of them. His team wasn't getting there fast enough, so he had amplified his voice and was still yelling to get them to move quicker. At this point, she couldn't take the pain any longer, she let out a gasp. Healer Davis turned out just in time to see a baby's head appear. Continuing to yell at his team, he reached over and supported the head. The first of his team finally came through the door, pushing a cart. The girl's eyes widened as she took in the scene in front of her. "Get over here with that. I need a blanket, yesterday. Where's everyone else?" He yelled at her.

She rushed over and handed him a blanket. "They were right behind me, sir." She said softly.

With another gasp, Ivy pushed down and the rest of the baby appeared in the healer's hands. Wrapping the blanket around the child, he handed the bundle over to the helper. Another gasp and push and another head appeared. It wasn't long before all four babies were born and Ivy had passed out from the pain. Draco looked on at his babies, noticing that Ivy's hand had gone slack in his.

The healer rushed over to check Ivy and make sure she was okay. He quickly determined that she was not, she was bleeding internally. Waving his wand over her belly, he quickly repaired what damage he could, but realized that he couldn't repair everything. He stopped the bleeding, ordered a helper to get some blood replenishing potion, and tried another diagnosis. Shaking his head, "There nothing more I can do. She won't be able to have any more children. The damage is too severe. We will have to remove the womb."

Draco looked up at him and nodded. Ivy had given him more than he could ever imagine. He looked down at his wife and kissed her forehead. "Do what you have to." He said.

The healer nodded and began to perform the spell. After several moments, Ivy awoke, "Our babies, where are they?" she asked. Draco smiled and motioned the helpers over with the four bundles.

Two boys and two girls were nestled in blankets, crying and healthy. Ivy smiled and reached for them. They were placed on her chest one at a time for her to look at them, then they were moved to a bassinet near the bed she was in. "We have to think of names." She whispered to Draco. He nodded and smiled, already ahead of her.

Dumbledore stepped into the room before he could speak. "Ah, I see I have missed the event." He smiled and moved over to see the children. "Just as I thought, the four elements."

Draco looked at him, "The four elements? What do you mean?"

"Well, if you remember the night they were conceived, the earth shifted, the rain poured down from a cloudless sky, the wind howled, and the fire rolled through the sky. The four elements. When we were told that there would be four children, I had my suspicions, but now seeing them, I know that I'm right. They represent the four elements; fire, earth, wind and water. See their hair color, that indicates which one will have control over the element. Red for fire, brown for earth, white for wind and blonde for water." He explained.

Draco nodded, still not believing it. "Well, a few names came to me the other night in a dream. We will see what Ivy thinks about them." Turning to her, he spoke again, "Vesta for the fire girl, Adamina for the earth girl."

"Zephyr for the air boy, and Nerio for the water boy." Ivy said, knowing then that they had had the same dream. Draco nodded at her, smiling. These names were meant to be.

Dumbledore nodded and smiled, knowing that great things would come from these little ones lying in the bassinet.


End file.
